The Tea Leaves Podcast

In this Tea Leaves episode, Rich talks with Tanvi Madan from Brookings Institute about the roots of India’s complex relationship with China and its role in shaping U.S.-India relations during the Cold War. Tanvi and Rich also talk about the implications of China-Russia and China-Pakistan defense relations on Indian foreign policy and Indian perceptions of U.S. reliability and the renewed rise in U.S.-China tensions. To access the video of the full conversation, please visit: https://theasiagroup.com/tea-leaves-podcast-tanvi-madan/

In the first of a series of Tea Leaves’ remote recording sessions as The Asia Group practices social distancing, Kurt and Rich discuss the latest on the coronavirus outbreak. Kurt shares some of his thoughts on how COVID-19 could be a “Suez Moment” for U.S. leadership on the world stage, while Rich assesses Washington’s economic and political response to the crisis and shares his thoughts on India’s response to date.

In this Tea Leaves episode, Kurt sits down with Tom Nides, a Managing Partner and Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley and former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources. Kurt and Tom discuss the latest on the coronavirus outbreak, long-term prospects for foreign investment banks and other financial institutions in the Indo-Pacific, and Tom’s deep experience in both the private sector and in the U.S. government.

In 2012, Jean Lee opened the AP’s bureau in Pyongyang – becoming the first international news organization with a full-time presence North Korea in words, pictures, and video. In this latest Tea Leaves episode, Jean sits down with Kurt and The Asia Group Senior Advisor Ambassador Joe Yun. The three discuss Jean’s number of years living in North Korea and the unique on-the-ground insights that she gained on North Korean politics, culture, and society.

In this Tea Leaves episode, Kurt chats with Dr. Joseph Nye, one of the leading thinkers on U.S. foreign policy and grand strategy, about morality and leadership in foreign affairs and the state of the Indo-Pacific. The two also examine the evolution of the U.S.-China-Japan relationship since the Clinton era and how the United States should approach China.

Kurt and Rich sit down with former Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral John Richardson on this Tea Leaves episode. Admiral Richardson shares what it was like being CNO, his thoughts on military discipline and learning from mistakes, and the state of the Navy today. The three also discuss the Pentagon’s reaction to recent events in the Middle East and in Iran, as well as how the United States’ naval capabilities compare with China’s.

In this Tea Leaves episode, Kurt sits down with leading South Asia foreign policy and defense experts Ashley Tellis, Admiral John Richardson, and Alyssa Ayres in a discussion at the Atlantic Council to discuss the U.S.-India relationship and India’s future role in the region amid a rising China.

"He was the most famous, and arguably the most beloved man in the world in the decade of the 1950s. And yet he always found a way to say, 'your work is more important than what I’m doing.'” Sixty years ago, on December 11, 1959, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower during his historic visit to India gave a speech that makes reference to the world in 2019. This Tea Leaves episode covers a panel discussion commemorating that moment in history, co-hosted by The Asia Group at the Atlantic Council between Rich, Susan Eisenhower, president of the Eisenhower Group and President Eisenhower’s granddaughter, and Dr. Will Hitchcock, professor at the University of Virginia’s Department of History. The discussion reflects on the legacy President Eisenhower left on U.S. foreign policy and his role as a statesman, grandfather, and American. A link with audio of President Eisenhower’s speech set to footage of his historic visit in India is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLMnfKqYd6s&feature=youtu.be

Piper Stover, CEO and co-founder of BINC Technologies, sits down with Kurt and Rich in this latest Tea Leaves episode. The three discuss U.S.-China technological competition, domestic Chinese political sentiment, and Piper’s extensive career in the tech space in both China and the United States.

Amy Searight, Senior Advisor and Director of the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), joins Kurt and Rich on this latest episode of Tea Leaves. Amy shares her observations about the geopolitical and macroeconomic dynamics that are animating the Southeast Asia region today. The three also discuss Southeast Asia’s evolving perceptions of Trump’s leadership, the future of ASEAN, and U.S. messaging to its strategic partners in the Pacific Islands region. Amy also shares her experiences serving as a woman in the national security field.