America has an interesting relationship with many Asian countries - on the surface there is polite co-operation and trade, but always with a wary attitude.

Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) and Dr Kumuda Simpson (International Relations, La Trobe University) speaks to Matt Smith about United States and their interaction with Asian states.

Recorded in front of a live audience on 11th November, 2015.

Nick Bisley on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nickbisley

Copyright 2015 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Please contact for permissions.

Now an independent democracy, Timor-Leste is struggling to renegotiate treaties and agreements with neighbouring countries, particularly water territories with Australia which could give them better access to dwindling oil fields.

Dr Bec Strating (Department of Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University) talks to Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) on Timor-Leste's motives and challenges in the Timor Gap.

Bec Strating on Twitter: www.twitter.com/becstrating

Copyright 2015 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Please contact for permissions.

Malcolm Turnbull has been the prime minister of Australia for two months, and while he hasn't made significant political moves regarding Asia, we can predict what kind of leadership he might bring.

John Garnaut (Fairfax's Asia Editor) speaks to Professor Nick Bisley (executive director, La Trobe Asia) about the change in political tone Turnbull will bring towards Asia.

Recorded in front of a live audience on 11th November, 2015.

John Garnaut on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jgarnaut

Copyright 2015 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Please contact for permissions.

China has announced a relaxing of the family planning policy, with a change of the existing law to a two-child policy beginning March 2016.

Dr James Leibold (Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University) discusses how the one-child policy has impacted China, if it was effective, and whether the change will come in time.

Copyright 2015 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Please contact for permissions.

When we talk about the Asia what is the adjective referring to? Is it culture, geography, or somewhere in between?

Assoc. Professor Andrew Phillips (Reader in International Relations and Strategy, University of Queensland) talks to Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) about the broad implications of that single word.

Copyright 2015 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Please contact for permissions.

China's economy is in a state of transition, and its success and failure has an impact on a global level.

Dr Geoff Raby (Australia's Ambassador to China from 2007-2011, director of his Beijing-based business advisory company – Geoff Raby and Associates Ltd) speaks to Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) about how the Chinese economy is transitioning and the changes it needs to make.

Copyright 2015 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Please contact for permissions.

North Korea has an image of dire poverty and famine, but thanks to trade with Russia and China the economy is a dynamic space and fast developing.

Dr Benjamin Habib (Politics and International Relations, La Trobe University) speaks to Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe University) about the impact of North Korea's development and the emergence of the 'donju', the middle class.

Copyright 2015 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Please contact for permissions.

China marked the 70th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II with a massive military parade which was as much a celebration as it was a show of force to the rest of the world.

Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) and Dr James Leibold (Senior lecturer, Department of Politics and Philosophy, La Trobe University) examine the parade and the message that Xi Jinping was trying to send, both domestically and internationally.

Copyright 2015 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Please contact for permissions.

When the democratic government of Nepal was established in 2006 it marked the official end of a decade long civil war and a long drawn-out peace process with heavy involvement from the international community.

But did it address the underlying tensions that caused the civil war, or does it remain unresolved?

Dr Jasmine-Kim Westendorf (International Relations, La Trobe University) is the author of "Negotiating Insecurity: Why Peace Processes Fail in Civil Wars".

This was a guest lecture delivered to the Melbourne South Asian Study Group on the 14th September, 2015.

The Indian Ocean is often thought of with a post World War II context, but it's had a long history prior to this when empires in the area struggled for dominance.

Assoc. Professor Andrew Phillips (Reader in International Relations and Strategy, University of Queensland) talks to Professor Nick Bisley (Executive Director, La Trobe Asia) about the early growth of empire and the beginning of European influence.

Copyright 2015 La Trobe University, all rights reserved. Please contact for permissions.