Indonesia’s 17,000-plus islands boast the world’s third-largest tropical rainforest, home to endangered species and Indigenous communities, and a vital shield against climate change. Yet in 2024, the country lost 261,000 hectares of forest—its worst single-year decline since 2021. Why has deforestation surged just as earlier trends seemed to improve? Beyond palm oil, the pressures now include pulpwood plantations, nickel mining, and large-scale food-security schemes that risk draining peatlands, razing mangroves, and displacing communities. Now almost a year into President Prabowo Subianto’s new administration, will Jakarta finally take forest protection seriously—or will it be business as usual? What reforms could steer investment toward already-cleared land, curb land speculation, and protect habitats close to collapse? And how can accountability thrive when so many lawmakers hold stakes in extractive industries? Multi-award winning forest conservationist Farwiza Farhan, and seasoned Asia Institute Indonesia watcher Dr Charlotte Setijadi, join host Sami Shah to examine the forces reshaping Indonesia’s landscape. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

Governments across Asia are confronting a new kind of policy challenge — one that’s moving faster than most have ever had to legislate for. The astonishing speed of generative AI development has prompted both excitement and alarm in Asia’s capitals, where the potential for economic growth and national prestige is being weighed against serious questions about risk, regulation, and long-term control. In China, we’ve seen some of the world’s earliest binding regulations on generative AI, with policymakers steering innovation to align with stated political values. Japan, by contrast, has recently pivoted toward a “light touch” governance model — part of a wider shift in Asia that favours innovation-friendly oversight, even as public concerns about misinformation, data misuse, and algorithmic bias continue to mount. In other countries like India, Malaysia and South Korea, dedicated AI bodies have been established, but concrete legislation remains elusive. So what are Asian governments actually doing — and not doing — to shape the direction of this transformative technology? And how are they managing the balancing act between economic ambition and ethical caution? Professor Jeannie Paterson from Melbourne Law School and Professor Haiqing Yu from RMIT University join host Sami Shah to explore how Asia is balancing the risks and rewards of generative AI. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

Suggested readings

Expanded ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics – Generative AI https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Expanded-ASEAN-Guide-on-AI-Governance-and-Ethics-Generative-AI.pdf

China bets on open-source technologies to boost domestic innovation https://merics.org/en/report/china-bets-open-source-technologies-boost-domestic-innovation

Open source and under control: The DeepSeek paradox https://360info.org/open-source-and-under-control-the-deepseek-paradox/

Despite all the talk of trade wars and other tensions, China remains the largest source of international students worldwide. In Australia alone, there are over 125,000 China nationals attending higher education, representing 22% of all international uni students. Needless to say, these large international numbers provide a massive revenue boon for Australia's cash-strapped institutions of higher learning. But what is the experience of Chinese students here in Australia? Given their large numbers, and their origins from a country that many Australians may view with some ambivalence, how are they being received, embraced or excluded? How are the Chinese students themselves finding ways to cope, or thrive, in the Australian social and academic environment? University of Melbourne researchers Dr Qiuping Pan and Dr Eric Fu join host Sami Shah to explore the complex, often overlooked lived experiences of Chinese international students in Australia. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

While Mandarin has long been China's official language, recent policies have accelerated its dominance — often at the expense of minority languages. Despite constitutional protections, a 2020 legislative shift has cast a shadow over the future of minority language education, raising concerns among ethnic minority groups like the Zhuang in southern China and communities in Tibet. Why is China doubling down on Mandarin’s dominance despite its already firm hold? What impact do these language policies have on ethnic minority communities? And what steps are needed to preserve China’s rich linguistic diversity? Researchers of linguistic diversity Dr Lajiadou from Asia Institute and Dr Alexandra Grey from University of Technology Sydney join host Sami Shah to examine the impact of China’s language policies on the future of ethnic minority languages and the communities that speak them. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has been busy appointing ambassadors, courting foreign investment, and participating in global forums, all with the aim of winning international recognition and standing. And it's paid off to a degree: last year China and the UAE both established formal diplomatic ties with the Taliban government, putting stability and economic opportunity ahead of ideological concerns like human rights that have inhibited similar moves by Western nations.

Meanwhile, the Afghan people continue to face a complex reality of systemic repression, particularly against women, as well as ongoing economic and security challenges.

So can engagement compel the Taliban to genuinely improve their human rights record and counter-terrorism efforts? What are the consequences of isolation versus engagement for the Afghan people, and for the international community? And how might the new Trump administration reshape US-Afghanistan relations?

Masoom Stanekzai, former chief peace negotiator of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and Dr. Niamatullah Ibrahimi, a peacebuilding expert, both from the University of Melbourne, join host Sami Shah to examine the geopolitical and humanitarian dilemmas surrounding the Taliban regime and its global relations. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

China's growing influence in Central Asia marks a strategic pivot in its bid to challenge a global order still largely led by the US. Through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Beijing is positioning itself as a dominant player in a region long under Russia’s sway. With Moscow’s focus diverted by its war in Ukraine, China is leveraging the moment to deepen ties with Central Asian republics. This strategic expansion serves a dual purpose: securing its borders and bolstering its ambitions for global leadership. But with shifting alliances and overlapping interests, how will China balance its aspirations in Central Asia with its delicate relationship with Russia? What risks and rewards come with this regional push? And could success in Central Asia tip the scales in China's global rivalry with the United States? Dr. Geoff Raby, former Australian Ambassador to Beijing and author of new book Great Game On: The Contest for Central Asia and Global Supremacy, joins host Ali Moore to explore these critical questions. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

China-Taiwan relations remain tense as Beijing maintains its stance on potential military action to "retake" the island—a position rooted in the unresolved Chinese Civil War (1927-1949). This ideological conflict pitted the Nationalist Party (KMT), which advocated national self-strengthening, against the Communist Party (CCP), which promised socialist revolution and class equality. The war inflicted massive civilian casualties and transformed Chinese society, particularly affecting family structures and women's roles. Although China has since experienced dramatic economic and military growth, the war's legacy endures, with the CCP maintaining strict control over its historical narrative. Why does the legacy of the Chinese Civil War still drive geopolitical tension between the People’s Republic and Taiwan, decades after its conclusion? How has the psychological trauma of the war shaped modern Chinese society? And in what ways does this legacy influence China's approach to its role as a global superpower today? Dr Lewis Mayo from Asia institute unravels the tapestry of the Chinese Civil War with host Sami Shah. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

The Korean language, once limited to the Korean Peninsula, has experienced a dramatic surge in global popularity due to the rise of K-pop, Korean dramas, and films. Even though this has led to increased enrollment in Korean language courses by both ethnic Koreans and non-Korean learners, achieving fluency remains a significant challenge. For the Korean diaspora worldwide, maintaining their linguistic heritage poses unique difficulties because as new generations emerge, the use of Korean as the primary language at home faces the risk of fading away, challenged by the pressures of assimilation and the dominance of local languages in their adopted countries. So who’s committing to learning the Korean language and what motivates them? What constitutes success and how many will go on to reach fluency? And what factors influence Korean language retention among heritage speakers in diaspora communities? Dr Nicola Fraschini and Dr Sin Ji Jung from Asia Institute discuss the complexities around learning Korean with host Sami Shah. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

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China's maritime aggression towards the Philippines has been escalating, with the China Coast Guard now ramming Philippine naval vessels in disputed waters. This has put intense pressure on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to defend the archipelagic nation's maritime territory against a superior force. Despite efforts by the current and past administrations to address China’s incursions into the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Beijing continues to expand its territorial claims in violation of international law. The situation has also cast doubt on Manila’s relationship with Washington as the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty has failed to curb Chinese belligerence. So, how can and should the Philippines defend its maritime territory against a formidable adversary? Can the United States be relied upon to reduce tensions in the South China Sea? And what role can ASEAN and the international community play in resolving maritime disputes of this nature? Seasoned Philippines watcher Richard Heydarian from the University of the Philippines examines the Philippines’ maritime predicament with presenter Sami Shah. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.

As East Asian countries like Japan, China and South Korea experience rapid population ageing due to declining fertility rates and increasing life expectancy, the demographic shift in the land of the living is having a parallel impact on what happens after life. Deathcare -- which encompasses post-death services, products, policy, and governance -- is changing too. Rapid urbanisation has disrupted long-observed burial practices and post-death rituals, while smaller family sizes and a jump in one-person households has put pressure on age-old East Asian traditions that centre the handling or the honouring of the dead in the family home. And just as new business models and services are emerging to meet the living needs of greying populations in East Asia, deathcare too has had to innovate, with new technologies and digital solutions aimed at both disposal and memorialisation of the dead. Anthropologists Dr Hannah Gould from the University of Melbourne and Professor Andrew Kipnis from The Chinese University of Hong Kong join Ear to Asia host Sami Shah to explain how demography in the region is reshaping deathcare. An Asia Institute podcast. Produced and edited by profactual.com. Music by audionautix.com.