Asia Rising

Japan occupies an ambitious position in geopolitics, desiring to maintain a balance of power in the face of a rising China, and to bring about economic prosperity, peace, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Guest: Associate Professor Stephen Nagy (Department of Politics and International Studies, International Christian University (ICU), Tokyo, Japan).

Recorded on 4 April, 2022.

Since 2016, an estimated one million Uyghurs and members of other Turkic Muslim minorities have disappeared into a vast network of ‘re-education camps’ in the far west region of Xinjiang, China in what some experts call a systematic, government-led program of cultural genocide.

Those outside detention are subject to intensive surveillance through a network of hi-tech surveillance systems, checkpoints and interpersonal monitoring.

While many countries now acknowledge these problems as a reality of President Xi Jinping's China, a more accurate understanding of how the detentions are perceived both within China and in the global community is crucial.

The Melbourne book launch of The Xinjiang emergency Exploring the causes and consequences of China's mass detention of Uyghurs, edited by Michael Clarke.

Panel:

Dr Michael Clarke (Senior Fellow, Centre for Defence Research, Australian Defence College and Adjunct Professor, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney)

Professor James Leibold (Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy, La Trobe University)

Associate Professor Rebecca Strating (Director, La Trobe Asia)(Chair)

Recorded on 5 April 2022.

As regional powers in the Indo-Pacific, Australia and Japan have much to gain from increased bilateral cooperation and increased interaction through ‘minilaterals’ such as the Quad. Strategic forces are pushing the states closer together, and Australia relationship with Japan has never been closer. This is demonstrated by the ‘Special Strategic Partnership’ between the states and the recent signing of an historic Reciprocal Access Agreement.

How can the two countries deepen their relationship in a time of strategic contestation? How can they better use diplomatic, trade and security policy tools to deal with new challenges? And how might cultural and people-to-people links be further developed?

Opening remarks by Mr Shimada Junji, Consul-General of Japan in Melbourne.

Panel:

Snr Associate Professor Stephen Nagy (Department of Politics and International Studies, International Christian University (ICU), Tokyo, Japan)

Professor Nick Bisley (Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University)

Professor Kaori Okano (Japanese Studies, La Trobe University)

Assoc. Professor Rebecca Strating (Director, La Trobe Asia)(Chair)

Recorded on 4 April 2022.

This launch of Issue 6 of the La Trobe Asia Brief brings together emerging leaders to discuss critical issues facing the Indo-Pacific. Written by students and young professionals from a diverse range of areas, this event will explore gender and conflict resolution in the Indo-Pacific, Australian foreign policy and South Korea’s maritime strategy. As the balance of power shifts in the Indo-Pacific, future leaders are looking at strategic challenges from a fresh perspective. To understand the future of the Indo-Pacific, it is vital we listen to future leaders.

This La Trobe Asia Brief is in conjunction with the 2021 La Trobe Asia Emerging Leaders Program: Regional Perspectives on the Free and Open Indo-Pacific. Over two months 40 Emerging Leaders participated in a series of Masterclasses and academic dialogue with regional experts.

This event is supported by the U.S. Embassy Canberra.

Speakers:

Tom Barber (Program Officer, Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue (AP4D))

Isadora Vadasz (Victoria Department of Justice and Community Safety)

Alexander M. Hynd (PhD Candidate and Research Associate, University of New South Wales)

Chair:

Kate Clayton (Research Officer, La Trobe Asia

Associate Professor Bec Strating (Director, La Trobe Asia)

Recorded on 24 March 2022.

The Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region in northern China has, in recent years, been the site of extensive protests against changes to the education system that have diminished the role of the Mongolian language. What might the UN’s Decade of Indigenous Languages mean for the region’s Mongols and their struggle to protect their language?

A three podcast series exploring issues of indigenous languages to mark the beginning of the United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022 - 2032).

Guest: Gegentuul Baioud (Postdoctoral Fellow, Hugo Valentin Centre, Uppsala University).

Host: Dr Gerald Roche (Senior Research Fellow, Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy at La Trobe University, La Trobe Asia Fellow)

Recorded on 17 February, 2022.

For all states across the Asia-Pacific women's representation in all sectors remains dismally low. The COVID-19 pandemic and responses to it have disproportionately affected women and girls across the Asia-Pacific, from alarming increases in domestic violence during extended lockdowns to the growing gender gap in employment opportunities.

Addressing these challenges requires policy-makers to implement gender-sensitive reforms, taking the voice and visibility of women and girls seriously in decision-making processes across both private and public sector spheres.

As we manage the difficult task of recovery and the ongoing long term impacts of COVID-19 there has never been a better time to lift ambition on women's representation and participation in leadership roles. But how do we make this ambition a reality?

This event is presented by La Trobe Asia and the Griffith Asia Institute.

Introduction provided by Professor Caitlin Byrne, Director - Griffith Asia Institute

Panel:

Recorded on 15 March 2022.

The Lepcha community is indigenous to the Himalayan mountains, and can be found across India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. There's estimated to be less than 70,000 speakers of the Lepcha language, and while it is an official language of Sikkim retention is a challenge.

A three podcast series exploring issues of indigenous languages to mark the beginning of the United Nations International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022 - 2032).

Guest:

Host:

Recorded on 16 February, 2022.

Asia is a linguistically diverse region, but this diversity is currently under threat. After centuries of colonisation and decades of rapid development, communities throughout Asia are facing distinct and urgent challenges to defend their rights to language in the face of discrimination, exclusion, and violence. How are Indigenous people and languages across Asia responding to this situation? Who decides which languages deserve attention and resources? How can awareness of Indigenous languages be raised and new political agendas promoted?

As the world enters what UNESCO has declared as the Decade of Indigenous Languages we will explore these issues with several researchers from Asia - people who speak, advocate for, or research some of the region’s many Indigenous languages.

Speakers:

Chair: Associate Professor Bec Strating, Director, La Trobe Asia

Recorded on 22 February 2022.

The Biden administration has released a new Indo-Pacific strategy, and much is at stake, with the acknowledgement that competition from China and climate change are of great concern to the United States and its allies.

Guest:

Recorded on 15 February, 2022.