Asia Rising

Along the coast of Hakata Bay in Fukuoka, Japan there is a 13th century wall, built by the local Samurai as defense against a Mongol invasion.

Guest: Associate Professor Andrew Hall (Asian Studies, Kyushu University)

Recorded 17 April, 2023.

This event explores Australia’s identity in Asia, and what it means for Australia to be in the Asia-Pacific region. Ten years since the ‘Australia in the Asian Century’ Foreign Policy White Paper, we reflect on Australia’s role and national identity in Asia.

What does it mean for Australia to have an Asian Identity? What is Australia’s Asia Identity? What does it mean for Australia to be in Asia? How do we harness multiculturalism in policy making?

Taking a policy and cultural perspective, this event will unpack Australian nationhood and grapple with Australia’s identity in Asia.

Panel:

Held on 14th July, 2023.

When atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, it led a few months later to the surrender of Japan, effectively ending World War 2. There were up to 150,000 casualties in the atomic blast, and the magnitude of the devastation has changed how the Japanese view war and how Hiroshima sees itself today.

Guest: Associate Professor Luli van der Does (Director of the Center for Peace, Hiroshima University)

Recorded on 19 April, 2023

In June 2022 Indonesian President Joko Widodo went first to the Ukraine, and later to Moscow, hand delivering a letter from President Zelensky to Vladimir Putin. His purpose, to quote, was to open a dialogue forum for peace, to build peace, because the war has to be stopped.

Widodo’s carefully worded statement, about ending a war but not necessarily pointing fingers, is emblematic of Asia’s response to the Ukraine invasion, to the extent where a UN vote for sanctions against the Ukraine earned the muted response of most Asian counties abstaining from voting.

Guest: Associate Professor Nobuhiro Aizawa (School of Social and Cultural Studies at Kyushu University).

Recorded on 18th April, 2023.

A year has passed since a new Labor government took power after nine years occupying the opposition benches. Over this time, the new government has prioritised the deepening of genuine partnerships with states across Asia and the Pacific, particularly in its foreign policy narratives.

At the same time, Australia has also made decisive moves in the name of national defence, by solidifying deals with old allies, developing a new strategy to confront current and future threats, and committed future governments to substantial increases in defence spending, including by advancing the previous government’s plan for nuclear powered submarines.

How has the Albanese government positioned Australia’s foreign and defence policy in its first year of power? How is this approach similar and/or different from the previous government? Have relationships with states across Asia and the Pacific improved or deteriorated? And how do we know?

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Recorded on 30 May 2023.

Japan is forbidden by their constitution to use force as a means of settling international disputes, or maintaining military forces with the potential of war.

Japan relies heavily on the concept of defence, and how they define it has repercussions for the strategic safety of Japan and its international alliances.

Guest: Professor Alessio Patalano (Department of War Studies , Kings College London)

Recorded on 20 April 2023 in Japan on a trip funded by a grant from the Australia-Japan Foundation.

Japan has always had a tense relationship with China, but now due to both their geographic proximity and their close alliance with western countries, this tension is taking on new dimensions.

Guest: Professor Chisako Masuo (Graduate School of Social and Cultural Studies, Kyushu University)

Recorded 18 April, 2023.

Japan and Russia are geographically close, but have always had an uneasy relationship. Territorial disputes, strained diplomacy, and an unsigned war era peace treaty has amounted to strained bilateral ties, with little sign of easing.

Guest: Professor James Brown (Politics, Temple University).

Recorded 20 April, 2023.

Emerging leaders from Australia, Japan, India and the United States discuss key issues facing the 'Quad', and puts forward a strong case for the Quad working together on non-traditional security issues across the Indo-Pacific region.

The next generation of Quad leaders view enhancing resilience against grey zone challenges, geoeconomics, outer spaces, critical technologies and human security as keys to unlocking the Quad’s potential. This challenges the Quad to deliver on public goods commitments to strengthen the free and open Indo-Pacific.

This is the launch of the 8th issue of the La Trobe Asia Brief produced from the La Trobe Asia Emerging Leaders Program, funded and supported by the United States Embassy in Canberra.

Panel:

Patrick Saunders (Humanitarian Services, AMES Australia)

Abhishek Sharma (Pacific Forum and University of Delhi)

Eleanor Shiori Hughes (Non-resident Fellow, EconVue)

Afeeya Akhand (Research Intern, Australian Strategic Policy Institute)

Kate Clayton (Research Officer, La Trobe Asia, La Trobe University) (Chair)

Recorded 3 May 2023.

What does it look like for Australia and Southeast Asia to develop a joint agenda for maritime security?

Join La Trobe Asia, consortium lead for the Blue Security program, to launch the first paper in a series on Maritime Security in Southeast Asia.

Blue Security is a collaboration between La Trobe Asia, Griffith Asia Institute (GAI), University of New South Wales Canberra (ADFA), University of Western Australia’s Defence and Security Institute (DSI) and the Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy and Defence Dialogue (AP4D).

Panel:

Recorded on April 26, 2023.