As the status quo in the Taiwan Strait is increasingly unstable, what can we expect from Taiwan’s new president Lai Ching-te when it comes to navigating relations with China? How will the results of the EU elections affect Europe’s policies vis-à-vis Taiwan? And how might a change of government in the United States impact the situation? These are s…

The long awaited third plenary session of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party will kick off on July 15. In the four-day meeting its 376 members will vote on programmatic decisions prepared by the Politbureau that will aim to solve the pressing economic and social issues the country currently faces. Johannes Heller-John talks with K…

How will China approach a Lai-led Taiwan? The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) and Katie Putz (@LadyPutz) discuss Lai Ching-te's inauguration as the new president of Taiwan and the outcome of the Indian 2024 general elections.Click the play button above to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe t…

What does Vladimir Putin's embrace of Kim Jong Un portend for Northeast Asian geopolitics? The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) discusses the recent summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with Shannon Tiezzi, The Diplomat‘s editor-in-chief.Click the play button above to lis…

Chinese investment in Europe has hit a new low according to a new study by MERICS and Rhodium Group on China’s Foreign Direct Overseas Investment in the 27 EU member states and the UK. It is the lowest level of investment since 2010. In Hungary, however, investments drastically increased and made up just under half of all FDI in Europe in 2023. Whe…

Ahead of the European Parliament election on June 6-9, 2024, this episode looks at the role of the European Parliament in EU-China relations and the possible impact of the election results on the European “de-risking” agenda among other topics. Johannes Heller-John talks to Ivana Karásková and Grzegorz Stec. Ivana is a European China Policy Fellow …

Fistfights between lawmakers in the legislature. Protests in the streets. Chinese military exercises in the seas around Taiwan. Not to mention a new president. If you’ve been watching news about Taiwan in the last week, that’s probably what you’ve been seeing and hearing. But with so much going on, it can be quite confusing to follow the plot of wh…

Are Beijing and Moscow moving beyond their "no limits" partnership? The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) and Katie Putz (@LadyPutz) discuss the recent summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing with Shannon Tiezzi, The Diplomat's editor-in-chief.Click the play button ab…

What do Russia and the Central Asian republics stand to gain from each other? The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) and Katie Putz (@LadyPutz) discuss Russia-Central Asia relations after the Crocus City Hall terror attack in March 2024.Click the play button above to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also su…

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Beijing in May to meet with China’s leader Xi Jinping. This will be Putin's first foreign trip after his reinauguration on May 7. The meeting will be another chance for the two leaders to emphasize how important and close the “no limits” partnership of Russia and China is. In this episode of our pod…

What did Kishida and Biden accomplish? The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) and Katie Putz (@LadyPutz) discuss the outcomes of the 2024 U.S.-Japan leaders summit.Click the play button above to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast on iTunes here; if you…

What will India's 2024 vote mean for Asia and the world? The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) and Katie Putz (@LadyPutz) discuss the geopolitical implications of India's 2024 general elections.Click the play button above to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics…

The leaders of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines will meet in Washington amid shared and growing concerns about China. The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) and Katie Putz (@LadyPutz) preview the April 2024 U.S.-Japan-Philippines summit.Click the play button above to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, yo…

In this year’s government work report at the National People's Congress, the issue of science and technology was mentioned more often than any other. Why does the Chinese government put so much focus on science and technology? What does this mean for other pressing issues that the Communist Party is facing? And what does it mean for Europe and the …

What does the U.S. intelligence community's 2024 Annual Threat Assessment suggest about Asia? The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) and Katie Putz (@LadyPutz) discuss the U.S. intelligence community's 2024 Annual Threat Assessment.Click the play button above to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscri…

The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, has held its yearly session in Beijing from the 5th to the 11th of March. This episode looks at what we have learned from this year's NPC and its repercussions for China and Europe. Johannes Heller-John is joined by MERICS Lead Analysts Nis Grünberg and Jacob Gunter. They argue that sci…

Today I have another topic that mostly concerns life in Asia, and especially in Taiwan: the ownership and use of motorcycles. By some metrics Taiwan has the highest level of motorcycle ownership in the world. It’s definitely something you notice when living here in Taiwan, as motorcycles not only cover the roads, but also the sidewalks. But, is it …

The high-level EU-China people-to-people dialogue is planned to be resumed this spring. The last installment happened in 2020, and this podcast episode looks at the relevance and aims of the format and what might be considered as a successful outcome. Claudia Wessling, MERICS Director of Communications and Publications, is joined by Jean-Louis Rocc…

Hello and welcome to the NEW Strait Up Podcast, a show about international affairs with a focus on East Asia and of course Taiwan. And, if you’re listening to this that means you’ve found the show’s new home on the new podcast feed, so thanks so much for following me here. I For my very first guest on Strait Up 2.0, I have none other than Lin Fei-f…

What is the state of play in Afghanistan today? The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) and Katie Putz (@LadyPutz) discuss Afghanistan's geopolitical position in 2024.Click the play button above to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast on iTunes here; if y…

Obtaining crucial information from and on China is becoming increasingly difficult for governments, businesses and researchers alike. “Geopolitics is a big factor,” says MERICS Associate Fellow Vincent Brussee “but there are many other dynamics that are intrinsically tied to how the Chinese political system works.” He is the co-author of a recent M…

The Asia Geopolitics podcast hits 10 years! The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) and Katie Putz (@LadyPutz) reflect on the 10 year anniversary of the podcast.Click the play button above to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast on iTunes here; if you use…

This is my last show for Rti, but I am keeping the show going on a new feed! If you want to keep listening to the show, you can find it at https://shows.acast.com/the-strait-up-podcast Today on the show I have a very special guest, Mike Chinoy. Mike was the first head of CNN's Beijing Bureau which opened in 1987, and led the coverage of important e…

Beijing’s industrial policy increasingly puts the focus on the cultivation of high-tech small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). This MERICS Podcast episode looks at the emergence of China’s “Little Giants,” as well as Beijing’s goals, key policies, and implications for foreign companies. We also delve into developments in medical technologies, o…

If you’re hearing this message, that means you’ve found the new RSS feed for this show! So, if you’re an old listener, thanks so much for taking the time to follow me here. If you’re a new listener, welcome to the show! This is a show where I interview experts, lawmakers, and others about topics related to international affairs, especially those re…

In this episode, we will discuss the geopolitical dynamics of climate change. The looming impacts of global warming will undoubtedly transform the way we live our lives and will unjustly affect some more than others. It will also result in a shift in global geopolitics and already has countless implications on today’s dynamics. To discuss the impac…

What are the most pressing issues in EU-China relations in 2024? What does Europe need to focus on in managing relations with China? How might China seek to exploit the campaign season, in which Europe will be preoccupied with its own problems? In this podcast, Abigaël Vasselier, Director Policy & European Affairs/Head of Program Foreign Relations …

Most people are probably aware that Taiwan has an aging population. In fact, Taiwan has one of the lowest birth rates in the world. According to the National Development Council, Taiwan’s fertility rate in 2022 was 0.87. That makes it either the lowest or nearly lowest in the entire world, with similar rates to South Korea, Hong Kong, and Puerto Ri…

What does North Korea's abandonment of Korean unification portend? The Diplomat’s Asia Geopolitics podcast hosts Ankit Panda (@nktpnd) and Katie Putz (@LadyPutz) discuss geopolitical dynamics on the Korean Peninsula heading into 2024.Click the play button above to listen. If you’re an iOS or Mac user, you can also subscribe to The Diplomat’s Asia G…