The superpowers of US and China are taking starkly different directions on cryptocurrency trading. So, what is behind this and what does it mean for the future of crypto?

The US under President Donald Trump positions itself as a pro-crypto hub to foster innovation. China under President Xi Jinping has imposed a strict ban on domestic trading and mining of digital currency since 2019. Because of that crackdown, China now controls significant Bitcoin reserves following the government seizure of illegally mined and traded digital tokens. But a crypto-trading ban doesn’t mean China is opposed to embracing blockchain, the core technology that enables cryptocurrency.

In this episode of Asia Specific, host Mariko Oi is joined by Sam Reynolds, a senior reporter at CoinDesk, a cryptocurrency media outlet, and Angela Ang, the head of policy and strategic partnerships at TRM Labs, a blockchain intelligence company.

Asia Specific brings you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the Asia Pacific region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends. Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.

Whether it is the latest on trade between China and Donald Trump, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy - we unpack what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Get in touch: [email protected]

China’s growth is slowing as the US-Israel war with Iran jolts the world economy and oil prices spike.

Once seen as the growth engine of Asia and the world, China is now trying to shield its giant economy from external shocks, this year setting its lowest economic growth target in more than three decades.

Can China’s leaders build a more self-reliant economy? And is it still on track to overtake the United States?

Host Mariko Oi is joined by BBC China correspondent Laura Bicker and Asia Business correspondent Suranjana Tewari to discuss how the war involving the US, Israel, and Iran could affect China's economy and whether the world's second-largest economy is still on track to overtake the US in the coming decades.

Asia Specific - Asia Pacific stories unpacked by those who know them best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on what’s shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.

Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

Get in touch: [email protected]

Creators of Japan’s popular manga comics see both threat and opportunity in AI. Some think it can help with labour shortages and boost productivity, but many artists and publishers fear copyright infringement, falling incomes and the devaluation of human artistry.

Major publishers have taken a firm stance against AI-generated submissions. AI can generate anime-style characters in seconds.

In this episode of Asia Specific, host Mariko Oi speaks with a Tokyo-based manga artist Peppe, AI consultant Darren Boey and Takeshi Kikuchi from the Manga Research Institute about how AI is changing this popular art form.

Asia Pacific, unpacked by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.

Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

Get in touch: [email protected]

China has warned against the ‘law of the jungle’ after US-Israeli strikes on Iran, but will Iran's biggest oil buyer take any tangible measures?

The conflict in the Middle East is widening, with missile and drone strikes hitting Iran, Israel and neighbouring countries, and Washington is now warning its campaign could continue for weeks. China is often viewed as Tehran’s key international backer. It buys the majority of Iran’s crude oil, signed a sweeping 25-year strategic agreement in 2021, and has brought Iran into the Beijing-backed BRICS grouping.

So how is Washington’s biggest strategic rival responding now that Iran’s government is under direct attack from the US?

In this episode, host Mariko Oi is joined by Asia Specific’s Bill Birtles, a former China correspondent and James Dorsey of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies to explore whether the China-Iran relationship is as deep as many assume and what the conflict means for China’s oil interests and long-term strategy.

Asia Pacific, unpacked by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.

Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

Get in touch: [email protected]

Same-sex romance dramas are booming across Asia, but does that mean there’s growing tolerance towards LGBTQ communities?

Asia Specific brings you Asia Pacific stories, unpacked by those who know it best. With essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.

Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

The Vice-President of the Philippines Sara Duterte has announced she will run for the Presidency, more than two years out from the next election. While long expected that she would seek the top job, why is she announcing her bid so early? Is a bitter feud with the current President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jnr a factor?

Four years ago she joined forces with Marcos and the pair won the Presidency and Vice-Presidency in a landslide. Now their relationship is a bitter power battle defined by accusations, impeachment attempts and the prosecution of Ms Duterte's father, a former President, at the International Criminal Court in Europe.

Meanwhile, protests are simmering over a massive corruption scandal involving a program to mitigate flooding, putting pressure on politcians throughout the government system.

In this episode, host Mariko Oi speaks to BBC South East Asia correspondent Jonathan Head and Manila-based journalist Regine Cabato about the deepening Marcos-Duterte rivalry, the return of protests, and what it all means for the future of Philippine politics.

Asia Pacific, unpacked by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.

Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week.

Singapore has launched a crackdown on vapes, eight years after banning the product, moving in lockstep with several countries around the world in clamping down on e-cigarettes.

The campaign comes as a rising number of teenagers in the country are found to have been using k-pods - vapes that are laced with the drug etomidate, an anaesthetic agent used in hospitals. The new penalties include fines, mandatory rehab, and caning for suppliers of k-pods.

Can Singapore succeed in stamping out all types of vape products? Is it able to sustain an all-out effort to crack down on vapers in the country? On this episode of Asia Specific, host Mariko Oi talks to two BBC journalists based in Singapore, Tessa Wong and Derek Cai, to understand the reason behind the city-state’s recent clampdown on vaping.

Asia Pacific, unpacked by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.

Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

Read more about Singapore's vaping crackdown on the BBC here: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3387lrz5g4o

Get in touch: [email protected]

Yoon Suk Yeol - former South Korean president - is sentenced to life in prison but avoids the death penalty, in an insurrection case that has gripped the nation. He was found guilty of leading an insurrection linked to his brief declaration of martial law in December 2024.

Prosecutors called it an attempt to subvert the constitutional order by deploying troops around parliament and targeting political opponents.

In this bonus episode of Asia Specific, we examine why his attempt to impose martial law disturbed so many South Koreans and if the sentence will end a turbulent chapter in the country’s political history.

Host Mariko Oi is joined by Cho Hee-kyung, Professor of Law at Hongik University in Seoul, plus we hear from the BBC's Seoul correspondent Jake Kwon.

This episode was recorded on 19 February.

Asia Pacific, unpacked by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.

Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week.

Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

Chinese workers officially get nine days off for this Lunar New Year – the longest stretch of public holiday on record. But, as millions move around the country in the annual travel rush, they’ve found there’s a catch. Some of those days must be made up by working weekends. Many workers are guaranteed just five days of paid annual leave, far fewer than in other major economies. And the work culture has sparked debate around burnout and work-life balance.

In this episode, host Mariko Oi speaks to the BBC’s China correspondent Stephen McDonell in Beijing and Fan Wang from BBC News in Singapore. They examine China’s work leave issue and if the culture around it can change.

Asia Specific unpacks Asia Pacific stories by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.

Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

Get in touch: [email protected]

Bodyweight influences in Asia - from fashion to K-pop to social media. We examine perceptions around thinness and why Asia didn’t follow the body positivity movement championed in Western countries.

The pressure to be thin shapes how many young people in Asia see their bodies, with extreme diets amplified on social media.

Host Mariko Oi is joined by Rachel Lee from the Asia Specific team and chef and food writer Jenny Dorsey. They discuss expectations around body size in Asia, the cultural forces at play and why plus-size representation in Asia’s fashion industry hasn’t become a significant trend.

If you have concerns about eating disorders or body image, consider speaking to a health professional or an organisation that offers support.

Asia Specific unpacks Asia Pacific stories with those who know them best. We bring you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.

Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

Get in touch: [email protected]