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In this conversation, I discuss Taiwan’s international relations with Russel Hsiao. We discuss Taiwan’s current context of and its place in the world, the perception gap around the risk of a Chinese invasion on Taiwan, the role of think tanks in crafting American policy toward Taiwan, how Taiwan has managed to win strong support from both parties in the US, factionalism within the KMT and the future of the party, where Taiwan fits within the Indo-Pacific, and many more topics. You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to get it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. Russell Hsiao is the executive director of Global Taiwan Institute, senior fellow at The Jamestown Foundation, and adjunct fellow at Pacific Forum. He previously worked as a senior research fellow at The Project 2049 Institute and national security fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Prior to those positions he was the editor of China Brief at The Jamestown Foundation and a special associate in the International Cooperation Department at the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy. You can connect with Russell on LinkedIn or check out his think tank’s work at globaltaiwan.org. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

In this conversation, I discuss cybersecurity battlefields with David Warshavski. We discuss how the digital and physical conflict are merging together, why threat actors are targeting manufactures, the problem of attribution and false flags, the geopolitics of cyberwarfare, how North Korea generates national revenue from cyber attacks, how private firms can take control of the cyber battlespace, how to build an impenetrable digital fortress or lure cyber criminals away with fake assets, and many more topics. You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to get it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. David Warshavski is Vice President of Enterprise Security at Sygnia, a cyber tech firm. David has over 10 years of experience in cyber consulting and cyber security. He has led Sygnia’s Adversarial Tactics group, done vulnerability research, offensive tool development and assisted with complex forensic investigations. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Tel Aviv University. Sygnia provides high-end consulting and incident response support for organizations worldwide and proactively builds cyber resilience to respond and defeat attacks within networks. It is the trusted advisor and service provider of technology and security teams, management and boards of leading organizations worldwide, including Fortune 100 companies. You can connect with David on LinkedIn or check out his firm’s work at sygnia.co. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

In this conversation, I discuss the case for an open world with Johan Norberg. We discuss cosmopolitanism in the 21st century, the importance of open systems throughout human history, why merchants were looked down upon in ancient times, whether polytheistic cultures are more open than monotheistic ones, the medieval ‘cacophony of Europe’ and why the continent birthed modernity, different interpretations of neo-civilizationalism, why China is closing after decades of opening, the threat of populism in the West, how humanity’s contradicting impulses to compete and cooperate fit together, whether US-China competition may be advantageous for the world, and many more topics. You can see the visual overlay that follows our conversation on YouTube. Some episodes are posted as videos before coming out in the podcast feed, so if you want to access new content early, be sure to subscribe to the channel. You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to get it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. Johan Norberg is an award-winning author, lecturer and documentary filmmaker. Born in Sweden, he has an M. A. in the History of Ideas from the University of Stockholm and is now a Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington D.C. He has written several books, the latest of which is Open: The Story of Human Progress. Open was one of the Economist magazine’s books of the year for 2020 which described it as “clear, colourful and convincing”. You can discover more about Johan through his personal website johannorberg.net or follow him on Twitter at the handle @johanknorberg. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

In this two-part conversation, I discuss civilizationalism as a new force in global politics with Anvesh Jain. Part 1 covers the Western half of Eurasia — the West and Russia, while Part 2 covers the Eastern half of Eurasia — India and China. In Part 2 we discuss why the state-society power balance is so different in India and China, whether civilizationalism in Asia is a new form of anti-colonialism, the role of religion in India and China, Confucianism and state ideology, how the British changed the caste system, tianxia as an inter-civilizational system, the dynamic between cultural Sinification and modern notions of Chinese ethnicity, the difference between civilizational capacity and civilizationality, whether Indic civilization is constitutional, why the BJP are rehabilitating Gandhi, whether Nepal is the ‘real Hindustan’, why East Asian civilizationalism is marred by geopolitics, where America fits within civilizationalism, why Western policymakers must get to grips with civilizational thinking, whether civilizationalism can contribute to world peace, and many more topics. You can see the visual overlay that follows our conversation on YouTube. Some episodes are posted as videos before coming out in the podcast feed, so if you want to access new content early, be sure to subscribe to the channel. You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to get it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. Anvesh Jain is an international affairs analyst and a JD candidate at the University of Ottawa. He recently published a paper titled “Comparing Civilization-State Models: China, Russia, India” in the peer-reviewed Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs and has also published in the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, the Stimson Center, The Hill Times, and the Mackenzie Institute, among other outlets. Anvesh is part of the NATO Association of Canada and is an emerging scholar at the Network for Strategic Analysis at Queen’s University. You can connect with him on LinkedIn or discover more of his work at his website, anveshjain.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

In this conversation, I talk with Brad Glosserman on why it is so hard for Japan and South Korea to put the past behind them, the ongoing effects of bilateral relations on the broader security context of the Indo-Pacific, Japan’s future within the region, the dynamic of the US-China rivalry and many more topics. You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to get it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. Brad Glosserman is Deputy Director of and Visiting Professor at the Center for Rule-making Strategies, Tama University. He is also a Senior Adviser (nonresident) at Pacific Forum, in Honolulu, where he served for 13 years (2004-2017) as executive director. Brad is the author of Peak Japan: The End of Grand Ambitions (Georgetown University Press, 2019; a Korean edition was released in 2020 by Korean Copyright Center) and co-author (with Scott Snyder) of The Japan-South Korea Identity Clash (Columbia University Press 2015). He is the editor, with Tae-hyo Kim, of The Future of U.S.-Korea-Japan Relations: Balancing Values and Interests (CSIS, 2004). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

In this two-part conversation, I discuss civilizationalism as a new force in global politics with Anvesh Jain. Part 1 covers the Western half of Eurasia — the West and Russia, while Part 2 covers the Eastern half of Eurasia — India and China. In Part 1 we discuss the rise of civilizationalism across the world, civilizationalists as alternative intellectuals, the ignorance of elites on the movement’s appeal, Russia as a Eurasian civilization, whether Russia is the true inheritor of the Roman empire, why Western civilizationalists admire Russian conservatism today, whether civilizations threaten the principle of equality in international relations, why ‘Western civilization’ is shared among many states, the goal of civilizationalism, its cyclical timespans, and many more topics. You can see the visual overlay that follows our conversation on YouTube. Some episodes are posted as videos before coming out in the podcast feed, so if you want to access new content early, be sure to subscribe to the channel. You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to get it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. Anvesh Jain is an international affairs analyst and a JD candidate at the University of Ottawa. He recently published a paper titled “Comparing Civilization-State Models: China, Russia, India” in the peer-reviewed Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs and has also published in the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, the Stimson Center, The Hill Times, and the Mackenzie Institute, among other outlets. Anvesh is part of the NATO Association of Canada and is an emerging scholar at the Network for Strategic Analysis at Queen’s University. You can connect with him on LinkedIn or discover more of his work at his website, anveshjain.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

I talk with Mohamed Zeeshan on what the UN’s recent report on climate change means for us all, how Russia will reap geopolitical gains from global warming, weigh up China’s options in Afghanistan and ponder the dynamics of Japanese politics as the ruling party chooses its next leader. You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to get it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. If you have any suggestions or questions, feel free to reply to this email, leave a comment or message me at my LinkedIn profile. Stay well and stay safe, - Liam Founder of Policy People This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

In this conversation, I discuss our new geopolitical reality ‘The Cold Peace’ with Erich Elkins. We discuss the importance of design thinking for policy problems, the roots of Western decline, Erich’s experience meeting Xi Jinping and how it shaped his thinking on the leader, the objective of China’s recent family-friendly reforms, the upcoming Philippines election, the country’s position in the Indo-Pacific, whether the first island chain can hold, why we are living in a ‘Cold Peace’ rather than a ‘Cold War’, the risk of conflict over Taiwan, and many more topics. You can see the visual overlay that follows our conversation on YouTube. Some episodes are posted as videos before coming out in the podcast feed, so if you want to access new content early, be sure to subscribe to the channel. You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to get it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. Erich Elkins is the Co-founder and Director of the Sydney-based firm Next Real Ventures, which brings US and European technology solutions to the Indo-Pacific and is the primary representative in the region for HaptX, the world’s leader in dual-use robotics and VR wearables. Erich has been at the forefront of the design and deployment of innovative tech solutions, such as Extended Reality(XR) and Urban Mobility. He has a career spanning three decades working with Fortune 500 companies, startups, and government agencies throughout Europe, North America, and the Asia Pacific, which has given him deep insights into the creation of technology and innovation strategies and policies. This has formed his unique on-the-ground perspective surrounding the growing strategic rivalry between the US and China, and the new global geopolitical reality. Erich is currently based in Manila and you can connect with him on LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

In this conversation, I explore new frontiers of drone warfare and the defense strategies for small countries with Ali Haxhimustafa. We discuss how drones are turning the tides of battles across Eurasia, various offensive and defensive drone tactics, how drone swarms give smaller forces affordable asymmetric advantages, what to do in a military withdrawal, the evolution of Kosovo’s military mandate and capacity, the country’s plans to join NATO, defense sharing and aerial defense systems, the importance of international training programs for smaller forces, cultural differences between militaries in democracies and autocracies, automated weapons systems, and many more topics. You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. Ali Haxhimustafa is a major currently serving in the Kosovo Security Forces and a Commander at the Defense Academy, Center for University Studies in Kosovo’s capital, Pristina. He has vast experience planning and executing international field training exercises including in the US, Europe and with joint NATO programs. Ali has lead teams in the field of combat and has experience with new technologies, including drones and other devices. He is also involved in education reform for Kosovo’s defense personnel. You can discover the work of Ali’s academy, connect with him on LinkedIn or add him on Facebook. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

In this conversation, I discuss Canadian and Japanese policy in the Indo-Pacific with Stephen Nagy. We discuss where Canada fits in the region, the perils of hostage diplomacy, why Canada needs to further align with other liberal democracies, the Arctic as a new space for geopolitical contest, Canada and Australia’s shared ‘China paradox’, how Ottawa should deal with the superpower in a nuanced way, whether Japan is serious about revising its Taiwan policy, what’s at stake for Tokyo in the region, the failures of Moon Jae-in’s sunshine policy, why South Koreans now dislike China more than Japan, how to prevent war in the West Pacific, and many more topics. You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. Stephen Nagy is a Visiting Fellow at the Japan Institute for International Affairs and Fellow at Canadian Global Affairs Institute. Stephen is also a Senior Associate Professor at the Department of Politics and International Studies at International Christian University, Tokyo and the Governor of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Japan. He regularly publishes in outlets such as the Japan Times, Nikkei Asian Review, Geopolitical Monitor, The National Interest and the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs. Originally from Calgary, he has been in East Asia for almost decades, and speaks multiple languages. He is now based in Tokyo. You can follow Stephen on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @nagystephen1. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

In this conversation, I take a walk down India’s winding path toward great power status with Aparna Pande. We discuss whether India can really catch up with China, how each country traditionally views the entrepreneur, the caste system in contemporary India, state-society relations in the country, whether majoritarian nationalism can be reversed, the conflicting ‘ideas’ of India, the economic reforms the country needs to make, why China poses an existential threat India, the challenge of urban planning on the subcontinent, India’s approach to international trade and many more topics. You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. Aparna Pande is Research Fellow and Director of the India Initiative at Hudson Institute in Washington D.C. Aparna is the author of the recent book Making India Great: The Promise of a Reluctant Global Power and has published widely on Indian and Pakistani foreign policy, among other topics. You can discover the program she heads at hudson.org, connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter at the handle @Aparna_Pande. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com

In this conversation, I discuss Chinese foreign policy in the Caribbean with Rasheed Griffith. We discuss China’s growing influence in the region, why Taiwan will lose all its Caribbean allies within a decade, how the US created a void for China to fill, which country’s economy is sustained by selling second passports to Chinese nationals, fintech and cryptocurrency experiments, infrastructure diplomacy and the need for development, why Haiti’s status as a country may be questionable, how Caribbean tax havens operate as Belt and Road-side ATMs that dispense funds to BRI recipient countries, and many more topics. “Taiwan will have no more Caribbean allies within ten years.” - Rasheed Griffith You can listen to the episode right away in the audio player embedded above, or right below it you can click “Listen in podcast app” — which will connect you to the show’s feed. Alternatively, you can click the icons below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  If you enjoy this conversation and would like to help the show, leaving us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do so. To give us a review, just go to Policy People on Apple Podcasts and hit ‘Write a Review’. Rasheed Griffith is a fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue and host of the podcast China in the Americas. In May 2021, Rasheed was invited to testify before U.S. Congress about China’s expanding influence in the Caribbean region. In addition to geoeconomic analysis, Rasheed has a background in finance and is an expert in compliance measures for the fintech ecosystem. Originally from Barbados, he currently lives in Panama and works for Canadian tech trading firm Merkle Hedge. You can discover Rasheed’s podcast and newsletter at chinacarribbean.substack.com, connect with him on LinkedIn or follow him on Twitter at the handle @rasheedguo . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit policypeople.substack.com