The Asia Chessboard

Toshi Yoshihara, Senior Fellow and former Naval War College professor specializing in China’s military modernization, discusses the strategic importance of the First Island Chain. He traces its historical role, explains denial defense and Taiwan contingencies, and outlines measures like base hardening, dispersal, and long-range strike. He also examines allied cooperation and how China’s coercion reshapes regional balancing.

Mike joins Tanvi Madan, senior fellow with the Center for Asia Policy Studies in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. They discuss developments in the U.S.-India relationship, the U.S.-India security alignment and other areas of cooperation, the new bilateral trade deal, interpersonal dynamics between U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and what we can expect for the bilateral relationship looking forward.

Mike joins I-Chung Lai, President of The Prospect Foundation. Prior to current role, he held several prominent positions within Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, serving as Executive Director of the DPP Mission to the United States and as the Director General of the Department of International Affairs. They discuss the PLA’s increasing operational abilities and Taiwan’s potential response to counter a blockade, how Taipei is interpreting the evolution of Chinese foreign policy towards Taiwan and the purge of Chinese general Zhang Youxia, Taipei’s assessment of U.S. foreign policy and posture in the Indo-Pacific, and much more.

Emily Kilcrease, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security and former U.S. trade representative, joins to discuss America's evolving tech strategy toward China. They explore the urgency around AI as a national security priority, influenced by Pentagon strategies. The conversation reveals shifts in trade policies, including rollbacks of export controls and tariffs. Emily also analyzes how these decisions might affect U.S. competitiveness in technology and the reactions from allies amid current global tensions.

Ely Ratner joins to discuss his extensive experience in U.S.-China strategic competition and Indo-Pacific security. He highlights the urgent need for a more cohesive strategy in Washington as crises often spark necessary focus on national security. Ratner explores the increasing demands from allies for advanced capabilities, stressing the importance of a formal Pacific defense pact to deter China. He also addresses the implications of rising military spending among allies and the need for credible, cooperative deterrence strategies in the region.

In this episode, Mike speaks with Christopher Johnstone, Partner and Chair of the Defense & National Security Practice at The Asia Group. Previously, he served as Senior Advisor and Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and before that as National Security Council Director for Asia under President Biden and Director for Japan and Oceanian Affairs under President Obama. They discuss the arc of U.S.–Japan relations, the recent summit between U.S. President Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi, Japan’s rapidly evolving defense policies, and much more.

In this episode, Mike speaks with three leading experts on international security: Elizabeth Saunders, Director of the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies and Professor of Political Science at Columbia University; Luis Simón, Director of the Research Centre for Security, Diplomacy and Strategy and Research Professor in International Security at the Brussels School of Governance; and Chung Min Lee, Senior Fellow in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Together, they discuss the Indo-Pacific Four (IP4) NATO partner nations—Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand—and examine where the IP4 and the broader Euro-Atlantic–Indo-Pacific security relationship are heading in light of shifting U.S. policy priorities.

Mike chats with Barbara Weisel, a former trade negotiator with over two decades at the U.S. Trade Representative and a current scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. They dive into the complexities of U.S. trade policy, including the rise and fall of TPP and the challenges of communicating its benefits. Barbara discusses the implications of current tariffs and the need for a trade strategy that incorporates economic security. They also explore how allies can navigate relationships with the U.S. amid shifting geopolitical landscapes.

Mike speaks with Nicholas Burns, Managing Roy and Barbara Goodman Family Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Relations at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. Burns previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to the People's Republic of China from 2021-2025. They discuss where we are in U.S.-China relations, how the relationship has become much more complicated in recent years, how the U.S. is working with allies and partners in the region, their vital role in supporting U.S. strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, and much more.

This week Mike speaks with Kurt Campbell, former Deputy Secretary of State and President Biden’s “Asia Czar.” He is currently Chairman of The Asia Group and Distinguished Fellow in Diplomacy with the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. They discuss the U.S. strategic approach to the Indo-Pacific, the buildup of international security architecture, working in the Biden administration, and the role of technology in geopolitical competition.