Ed & Nik on the Asia Pacific

Ed & Nik reunite for a Xmas Special to review the year over a couple of drinks. All the big stories, including (but not limited to) Covid, China-India border clashes, Abe's resignation, protests in Hong Kong and Thailand, and the height of Everest, all mixed together with some good cheer and petty squabbling.

Ed & Nik discuss the implications of the security law in Hong Kong for China's wider foreign policy. Other topics include the death of Seoul's mayor, the future of DPRK-US relations, sex-crazed monkey gangs in Thailand and new rules on Japan's roller-coasters. And Nik is on the hunt for a new co-presenter....

Ed & Nik discuss recent tensions across the Korean border, the clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Himalayas, Japan's 'renaming' of the Senkakus and the latest act of political activism by K-Pop fans in the US.

Ed & Nik consider the fallout from the new security law in Hong Kong, the removal of the mayor of Kaohsiung and the response to the Black Lives Matter campaign from the K-Pop community. They also explore a Japanese theory on why coronavirus spreads more easily in the West and demonstrate just how down with the kids they are (spoiler alert: not very).

Ed & Nik mark a milestone (of sorts) with wild speculation on Kim Jong Un, a heated debate about the future of Taiwan and Hong Kong under 'one country, two systems' , a heart warming tale of Spandau Ballet-inspired triumph in Singapore, and reflect on the presence of sex dolls at South Korean football. 

Ed & Nik return after a brief hiatus doing some real work and discuss the media frenzy over Kim Jong-un's recent non-death. Other subjects tackled include an exchange of gunfire across the Korean DMZ, Vietnam's successful Covid-19 policies, fake Indonesian ghosts and Nik's mysterious lack of teaching duties.

Ed & Nik return to the hot topic of pandas' (in)ability to mate. Other topics include the South Korean election, a reported nuclear test in China, and a generous Vietnamese entrepreneur.

Ed & Nik return to the Taiwan/WHO dispute, consider Japan's late reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak, mark the end of China's lockdown and discuss panda sex and robot graduation.

Ed & Nik continue their lockdown with discussions on Taiwan's exclusion from the WHO and a debate on the anti-Taiwan bias of the BBC, as well as some monkey/elephant chitter chatter.

As the lockdown begins in earnest in England, Ed & Nik tackle remote working, the Olympics, Korea's mixed response to covid-19, Taiwan-China tensions and Thai monkey gangs.