Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?

Podcast episodes

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  Why Should We Care About the Defense of Taiwan?

  Why Should We Care About the Defense of Taiwan?

  E07

  49:38

  Jim and Ray welcome retired Major General Mick Ryan, Royal Australian Army and retired Rear Admiral Mike Studeman, U.S. Navy to discuss the importance of defending Taiwan. They highlight the profound consequences of a Chinese takeover of Taiwan and its implications for the United States, Australia and the region. They emphasize the need to communicate the significance of Taiwan to the public, and to strengthen deterrence against China's aggression. The conversation explores the challenges of deterrence in the modern age and the need for a comprehensive approach that goes beyond military capabilities. Mick discusses his recent book about a hypothetical war over Taiwan and the importance of land operations in the defense of Taiwan.

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  Why Should We Care About Southeast Asian Economies?

  Why Should We Care About Southeast Asian Economies?

  E06

  45:55

  Jim & Ray interview former U.S.Ambassador Ted Osius--now the President and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council--about the importance of Southeast Asia's rapidly growing economies, especially as companies seek to de-risk away from China's deteriorating business environment. They discuss the growth and potential of Southeast Asia, the opportunities for US investment in the region, and the continuing challenges faced by American companies who want to operate there. They also touch on America's failed involvement with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and how that has negatively affected its economic opportunities and strategic position in Asia. They further discuss ASEAN's role in regional politics--what it can and can't do in the economic, diplomatic and security arenas. In this episode's "There I was..." segment, Jim recalls how as diplomats in Jakarta he and Ted would meet regularly with a wealthy Indonesian businessman who often had an axe to grind.

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  Why Should We Care if China is Harassing Philippine Ships?

  Why Should We Care if China is Harassing Philippine Ships?

  E05

  36:15

  Jim and Ray interview the Philippine Coast Guard's spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, about China's continuing harassment of Philippine ships at a time when the mist of the previous day's water-cannoning near Scarborough Shoal was still dissipating. They discuss the importance of countering Chinese aggression and protecting the international rules-based order. They ask Jay to weigh the benefits of the Philippines' transparency campaign against its risks, and to comment on ASEAN's reluctance to publicly back Manila in its maritime struggles and its inability to produce a South China Sea Code of Conduct. They also laugh and lament over the accusations by Beijing's propagandists about Ray's supposed manipulation of Jay and the Philippine government. Finally in "There I was...", Ray tells the story of the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, when he and his new bride were evacuated from the Philippines.

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  Why Should We Care About Beijing's Cyber Aggression?

  Why Should We Care About Beijing's Cyber Aggression?

  E04

  38:19

  Ray and Jim are joined by retired Lieutenant General Lori Reynolds, former U.S. Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Information, who provides insights into China's recently uncovered "Volt Typhoon" cyber operation and its implications for national security, both within the U.S. and across the free world. They discuss Beijing's shift from simple snatch-and-grab intellectual property theft to now conducting high-level cyber espionage and embedding its operatives within a nation's critical infrastructure. They also talk about the data security and cognitive threats posed by TikTok and the need for free countries to become more resilient, and to leverage their own asymmetric advantages by exposing the Chinese Communist Party's cyber aggressions. 00:00 Introduction and Background 05:12 China's Shifting Cyber Strategy: From Intellectual Property Theft to Critical Infrastructure Embedding 11:58 The Threat of TikTok: Data Access and Manipulation 22:23 The Threat of TikTok and the Need for Divestment 28:04 Leveraging Asymmetric Advantage: The Power of Truth and Strategic Narratives 32:44 Contesting Chinese Influence: Exposing and Countering Manipulation in Various Industries

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  Why Should We Care if China has the World's Biggest Navy?

  Why Should We Care if China has the World's Biggest Navy?

  E03

  50:51

  Ray and Jim are joined by Brent Sadler, author of "U.S. Naval Power in the 21st Century", to talk about China's rapidly growing naval power, including its ability to exercise power globally, coerce other countries and undermine Western influence. They discuss whether China's numerical superiority equates to superior capability and the growing vulnerability of surface vessels. They examine the situation in the South China Sea and examine how counterinsurgency tactics may be necessary to deal with China's paramilitary coast guard and maritime militia. The conversation then moves on to the US presence in the region and the need to develop maritime statecraft. They discuss the severe challenges facing US shipbuilding, including the lack of public shipyards and the shortage of shipyard workers and naval architects. The conversation concludes with the potential of the AUKUS alliance and the importance of Australia's investment in naval shipbuilding. At the end, Ray and Jim introduce their new "There I was..." segment, in which they trade stories from their military and foreign service careers. Ray goes first by sharing his first crisis after arriving in Australia, when he realized he had no idea how to get the Secretary of Defense on the phone.