Asia Unlocked

In this episode, Professor Alan Tidwell, Director of the Centre for Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Studies at Georgetown University, explains why the PICS matter strategically, how geography shapes their political choices, and why external pressure from major powers often backfires. He discusses the legacy of U.S. disengagement, 'strategic arbitrage' among island governments, and how Australia and New Zealand are adapting through new forms of strategic denial. Tidwell also assesses China’s growing role, local perceptions of Chinese development projects, and where the U.S. can realistically compete, highlighting areas such as people‑to‑people ties, Peace Corps engagement, and airfield development.

China’s accelerating nuclear modernisation is under renewed scrutiny following US allegations of covert testing activity. Dr. Matthew Kroenig, Vice President for Geostrategy at the Atlantic Council and Professor in Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service, outlines why these developments matter for strategic stability. He explains how testing supports China’s shift toward a larger and more sophisticated arsenal, why and how Beijing resists arms‑control negotiations and the role nuclear forces may play in a Taiwan contingency. He also assesses regional implications, including growing proliferation pressures in South Korea and Japan.

As the Iran war reshapes global trade routes and energy security, the question of how Beijing and Global South countries navigate the conflict takes center stage. Eric Olander, Editor-in-Chief of the China Global South Project and a veteran journalist with over three decades of experience at CNN, the Associated Press, and the BBC World Service, explains the prevalence of pragmatic realism over ideological alignment, how supply chain disruptions are disproportionately affecting developing nations, the limitations of coalitions like BRICS in times of crisis, and what the future holds for nations caught between competing superpowers.

North Korea’s leadership future is once again in the spotlight as South Korean intelligence reports are released on Kim Jong‑un’s daughter, Kim Ju‑hae, and her increasing visibility. Dr. Victor Cha, President of the Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Korea Chair at CSIS and Distinguished University Professor at Georgetown University, explains the importance of public appearances for prediction-making, how past transitions in the Kim dynasty work, why bloodline outweighs gender and what Pyongyang aims to project to the international community.

Japan’s snap election delivered one of the biggest political surprises in years as Prime Minister Takaichi's LDP won 316 seats, securing a lower house two-third majority. In this episode, Dr. Sheila Smith, the John E. Merow Senior Fellow for Asia‑Pacific Studies, explains the key reasons behind Takaichi’s unexpected landslide: why she called the snap election, how the opposition failed to challenge Takaichi, and what the rise of new parties like Sanseito and Mirai no Tō tells us about changing voter priorities. She also breaks down the bigger forces shaping Japanese politics today: divisions inside the LDP, Takaichi’s direct and sometimes polarizing leadership style, and the policy debates shaping the agenda.

Zhang Youxia, PLA General and Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission, was removed from his post in January 2026, accused of 'serious violations of discipline and law'. What does the purge of Zhang Youxia reveal about power, risk, and military signaling in China? Dennis Wilder, senior fellow at the Initiative for U.S.–China Dialogue and former CIA China analyst, unpacks theories on the purge and explores what this event could mean for the PLA and regional security going forward.