Batteries increasingly power everything around us, all thanks to major innovations and a supply chain that spans the world. And that’s where things get complicated. As battery costs sink and technology advances, nations increasingly view batteries as vital for national security, economic competitiveness, and to reach their climate goals. We spoke with two experts on all things batteries and geopolitics: Marina Yue Zhang, Associate Professor at the Australia-China Relations Institute of the University of Technology Sydney; and Duo Fu, Vice President of the Clean Tech Division at Rystad Energy ..read more

As India’s economy continues to grow, can the world’s most populous country truly replicate China's success of the past decades? Should India even imitate China? Maybe not, says our guest on this episode, Alicia García Herrero, Hong Kong-based Chief Economist for Asia-Pacific at French investment bank Natixis, and Senior Fellow at European think tank Breugel. Alicia discusses the key differences between the two countries, talks about if the world is even looking for a new China, and provides insights on what economic policies could drive India’s continued growth, especially as the country ent ..read more

As tensions simmer in its immediate environment, Japan is on high alert. In the midst of China's "sustained aggressiveness," Japan is revising its defense and security policies. But how does this align with its pacifist constitution, and is there still room for engagement with China? Hear from Yuki Tatsumi, Senior Fellow, Co-Chair of the East Asia Program, and Director of the Japan Program at the Stimson Center in Washington, DC. Yuki sheds light on Japan's historical approach to China, the current state of their bilateral relations, and the delicate balance between deterrence and engagement ..read more

Indira Ranamagar is Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nepal since January 2023. She started her career as a primary science and maths teacher in village schools in the southeast of Nepal, and became a social worker in prisons in 1990. For well over 30 years now, she has been a prolific human rights and social worker. In 2000, she founded the NGO Prisoner’s Assistance Nepal, which looks after prisoners' welfare and works to give children whose parents are imprisoned an education and a roof over their heads. In 2022, she was elected to Nepal’s House of Representatives on behalf o ..read more

Nalin Mehta is a political scientist and journalist in Delhi, India, and author of The New BJP, a work you can only call THE  book on the BJP, the largest political party in the world. Under the leadership of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP has solidified its position as the uncontested center of power in the world's most populous country. As India heads to the polls over a 6-week period beginning April 19, we talk with Nalin about how the BJP built and expanded its power base, and what Modi, who is all but certain to once again win the elections, could set as priorities up ..read more

There is little to dispute about Asia's rise as a key feature of our time. Already the world's most populous region, Asian countries have steadily gained in economic and political influence on the world stage in recent decades. While in the past this development has been driven heavily by China, the next few years will see countries like India, Indonesia, and Vietnam expand their international clout. As the balance of power shifts east, will the world order inevitably change? Asia is far from a monolithic actor, and for all the talk about an "Asian Century", there is arguably no coherent visio ..read more

Johan Nylander is an award-winning author and freelance China and Asia correspondent. His work is published by CNN, Forbes, Sweden’s leading business daily Dagens Industri, and many other international media outlets. His most recent book is The Wolf Economy Awakens – Mongolia’s Fight for Democracy, and a Green and Digital Future (Hong Kong University Press, 2023). It's full of original reporting and great conversations with Mongolians, from angry elderly people in the street and the lead singer of internationally successful Mongolian band The HU to the country's Prime Minister. In this episo ..read more

STATE OF ASIA, the podcast from Asia Society Switzerland, is back with engaging conversations with leading minds on the issues that shape Asia and affect us all. The new season premieres Tuesday, March 26, with a conversation with Hong Kong-based journalist and author Johan Nylander, whose latest book is a deep dive on one of Asia's largest but, for now, most unknown nations: Mongolia. New episodes follow every other Tuesday. Plus: look out for special episodes bringing you insights from some of the many events organized by Asia Society Switzerland. Stay up-to-date on all our activities: sub ..read more

A Closer Look is our popular series taking quick but deep dives into countries and issues that matter, with webcasts, podcasts, and in-person events. This episode is part of A Closer Look: Indonesia After Jokowi, looking at what's next for the Southeast Asian giant now that the hugely popular President Joko Widodo is preparing to hand over to former general Prabowo Subianto, the winner of the February 14 elections. Talking about Jokowi's legacy from a ground-level perspective are Nimas Mega Purnamasari, who runs the Bali campus of the national United in Diversity organization; and Yoes Kenaw ..read more

Two terrific knowers of China talk about the prospects for the struggling Chinese economy and the question that's on the mind of foreign companies in the country: stay, or go? Listen to Keyu Jin, well-connected professor at the London School of Economics and author of 2023's The New China Playbook; and Jörg Wuttke, President Emeritus of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. They spoke on stage at the STATE OF ASIA conference, Asia Society Switzerland's flagship event, held on November 23, 2023, in Zurich. The conversation was moderated by Martina Fuchs. Watch the full video here ..read more