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International award-winning author, poet, musician, and publisher Jeet Thayil joined us in Zurich for a wide-ranging conversation on his work, his observations of the sudden disappearance of Bombay’s opium world, the growing role of politics in Indian literature and the ways poets, novelists, and essayists engage with today’s political developments, to ongoing debates around language in Indian literature, the conversation made clear just how significant a role literature can play in society. Plus: readings from his latest book The Elsewhereans and recent poems. Jeet is in conversation with political geographer Jasnea Sarma during this live Asia Society Switzerland event. Find all information on our flagship STATE OF ASIA Address and Conference, taking place on Nov.4/5 in Zurich, on our website here. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. -- STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.   Published: September 25, 2026 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

Qing Wang talks with Remko Tanis about the changing ways people in China confront and talk about their mental health. Qing's eye opening essay on the topic, is available to read and download here. Qing, a multi-award winning journalist, podcaster, and social media influencer, shares her insights as China and the World Fellow at Asia Society Switzerland, made possible through the generous support of MoneyMuseum Zurich. See Qing in conversation with other Asia Society experts on how China's young people are redefining mental health care in this video. Find all information on our flagship STATE OF ASIA conference, taking place on Nov. 5 in Zurich, on our website here. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. -- STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.   Published: September 3, 2026 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

Qing Wang talks with Remko Tanis about what's really behind China's falling birth rate: it's about a lot more than just money, or lack thereof. Qing's eye opening essay on the topic, is available to read and download here. Qing, a multi-award winning journalist, podcaster, and social media influencer, shares her insights as China and the World Fellow at Asia Society Switzerland, made possible through the generous support of MoneyMuseum Zurich. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. -- STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.   Published: June 10, 2026 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

Understanding China has never been more crucial. Yet, much of the debate remains dominated by geopolitics and security concerns, often overlooking how Chinese people themselves view their country and the world around them. The China and the World Fellowship aims to close this gap by offering regular, in-depth insights exploring how Chinese citizens perceive the defining issues of our time: the international (dis)order, the ongoing trade and technology competition, the rise of consumerism, and much more. The Fellowship also sheds light on how young Chinese think about and discuss global challenges. Qing Wang, a multi-award winning journalist, podcaster, and social media influencer, shares her insights as our China and the World Fellow at Asia Society Switzerland, made possible through the generous support of MoneyMuseum Zurich. Read Qing's first essay as our Fellow: 'How Young Chinese See The World'. On this episode, Qing talks with Remko Tanis, about absurdity, anxiety, and agency - all recurring themes in the conversations she has with her audience of over a million young, urban, and educated Chinese. Let us know what you think, and share your thoughts or questions with Qing: [email protected] Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Published: March 30, 2026 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Asia Society Switzerland

A new industrial reality is reshaping Europe's economic future. China’s manufacturing juggernaut – once focused on low-cost consumer goods – has pivoted decisively toward the high-value sectors that have long defined European prosperity: automobiles, machinery, batteries, solar technology, steel, and chemicals. The numbers tell a stark story. By late 2025, Germany's annual trade deficit with China approached $100 billion. BYD plans 2'000 European stores by late 2026. China controls over 80% of global solar production and 75% of battery manufacturing. Meanwhile, European industries face a perfect storm: Chinese overcapacity meets slowing U.S. demand following the 2025 tariffs, with no clear path forward. Are European industries at risk of being hollowed out by China's state-backed expansion? Or is the European economy more resilient than these concerns suggest – capable of adapting, innovating, and maintaining its competitive edge? Does China's trajectory demand a fundamental shift in European industrial policy? Or should Europe trust in market forces and resist the siren call of protectionism? This episode of the podcast features a recording of an Oxford Debate, held live in Zurich, on March 9, 2026. Four experts take sides in favor of and opposed to the debate motion: "Europe's Economy is under Existential Threat from China." They are: Camille Boullenois, Associate Director at Rhodium Group, analyzing China's economic system Yanmei Xie, 2026 TOY Senior Fellow at Asia Society Switzerland and leading thinker on China's economic and foreign policies Michael Laha, Senior Research Fellow focusing on China's technology policy at the German Council on Foreign Relations John Lee, Director of East West Futures and researcher at the Leiden Asia Centre Learn more about the speakers on our website and watch the full debate on the Asia Society YouTube channel here. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Published: March 17, 2026 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Asia Society Switzerland

In this episode, we’re gonna take a sweeping look at Southeast Asia's political, economic, and security landscape. The region sits at a geopolitical crossroads, a position that has created huge potential and a delicate balancing act between China and the U.S. As an intrinsically diverse region, different countries pursue different levels of ambition. The difficulties the region has in finding a unified voice are clearly visible daily, whether it is in the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, the environmental challenges facing the Mekong region, or the protest-inducing corruption scandals in countries like the Philippines and Indonesia. So is Southeast Asia meeting its potential? We asked Pita Limjaroenrat, former Prime Minister designate of Thailand and current Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Huong Le Thu, Deputy Director of the Asia Program at the International Crisis Group. The conversation, recorded live on stage at our annual STATE OF ASIA CONFERENCE last month, is led by James Crabtree, a fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and advisor to Asia Society Switzerland. Find more information on STATE OF ASIA 2025, including videos, on the Asia Society website. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Published: December 16, 2025 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

This episode unpacks a pivotal year for India. Suhasini Haidar, diplomatic editor at The Hindu, explains how Delhi has adapted to unexpected tensions with the U.S., renewed pragmatism toward China, and its enduring reliance on Russia, while preparing for major trade negotiations with Washington and Brussels. Milan Vaishnav, Senior Fellow and Director, South Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, explores India’s internal politics: Modi’s continued dominance, the realities of coalition governance, and growing federal pushback from southern states. He shows how foreign policy has become central to Modi’s domestic appeal, and why that can cut both ways. Geopolitical analyst, author, and former India correspondent for the Financial Times James Crabtree discusses why strong growth isn’t creating enough jobs, India’s modest gains in the “China+1” landscape, and the political constraints shaping trade policy. Plus: a look at how India’s model of crony capitalism has evolved over the past decade. The conversations were recorded live, on stage, at the 2025 STATE OF ASIA conference, held November 6 in Zurich. Find more information on STATE OF ASIA 2025, including videos, on the Asia Society website. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Published: December 9, 2025 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

At the 2025 STATE OF ASIA conference, we hosted two conversations focused on China. First, hear from Desmond Shum, entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, and author of the internationally acclaimed memoir Red Roulette, presenting a rare and authoritative perspective on the intersection of global business and Chinese elite politics. Then, Abigaël Vasselier of the EU's External Action Service, shares her perspectives on China's next chapter and the country's relationship with Europe, in conversation with sinologist Simona Grano of the University of Zurich. The conversations were recorded live, on stage, at the 2025 STATE OF ASIA conference, held November 6 in Zurich. Find more information on STATE OF ASIA 2025, including videos, on the Asia Society website. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Published: December 2, 2025 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

How is Europe's role evolving amidst a retreating U.S. and a more fragmented global order? With middle powers repositioning themselves for greater agency and partnership, particularly in Asia, is Europe making enough of the new dynamic for cooperation with countries like Japan, South Korea, and Australia on fundamental issues like security, defense, trade, and technological governance? Listen to an engaging conversation, led by the FT's Mercedes Ruehl, with Huong Le Thu of the International Crisis Group, Henrietta Levin of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and Abigaël Vasselier, Asia Pacific strategic coordinator for the EU's foreign service. Their discussion was recorded live, on stage, at the 2025 STATE OF ASIA conference, held November 6 in Zurich. Find more information on STATE OF ASIA 2025, including videos, on the Asia Society website. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Published: November 25, 2025 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

How do you summarize the state of the world in 20 minutes and still have it make sense? By inviting two excellent speakers to take on that challenge, is what we found out at our annual STATE OF ASIA conference, held November 6 in Zurich. Listen to Pita Limjaroenrat, former Prime Minister-designate of Thailand, in conversation with Suhasini Haidar, diplomatic editor of The Hindu, who kicked off the day-long event with an engaging overview of sobering reflections and possible hopeful signs. Find more information on STATE OF ASIA 2025, including videos, on the Asia Society website. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Published: November 18, 2025 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

Pita Limjaroenrat, former Prime-Minister Designate of Thailand and current Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, delivers the fourth annual State of Asia Address, hosted by Asia Society Switzerland and the University of Zurich. In a packed Aula, he spoke about the period of transition the world finds itself in, with the post-post Cold War era having ended, but a new chapter yet to be written. He laid out what this means for power, progress, and peace in Asia. The full Address, including a conversation between Pita and University of Zurich economics professor Ralph Ossa, is also available on Asia Society's YouTube channel. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Published: November 10, 2025 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

2025 marks 50 years since Vietnam's reunification. A great moment to reflect on the country's remarkable transformation. Since launching major economic reforms four decades ago, Vietnam has achieved one of the world’s fastest growth rates, attracting global investment as companies shift production from China. Today, it's a lower middle-income nation with bold ambitions to become a developed, high-income country by 2045. But, as Vietnam looks ahead, it faces significant challenges, from how to unleash more human creativity and reforming institutions to getting badly needed investments in infrastructure off the ground. And like every other country, Vietnam cannot escape dealing with a fragmenting world order, that will challenge its famed bamboo diplomacy, where Hanoi works to be friends with everyone. Something that might no longer suit a geopolitical environment that incereasingly demands chosing sides. In this episode, hear dr. Hai Hong Nguyen discuss all these points, and more. He's a senior lecturer in politics, social change, and international relations at VinUniversity in Hanoi. This conversation is part of our long-running web series A Closer Look and available as video on the Asia Society YouTube channel. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Season 8, episode 16 - Published: July 8, 2025 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

South Korea is heading to the polls to elect a successor to impeached President Yoon, whose failed attempt to put the country under martial law back in December laid bare the deep divisions and gloom that plague Korean society. We talk about all this with Eunwoo Lee in Seoul, from where he writes for The Diplomat. Want more Korea? Join us in Zurich on June 25 for an evening with stellar Korean author Bora Chung. More info and tickets on our website. A solid analysis of the challenges South Korea faces as it heads to the polls, from Carnegie's Chung Min Lee is here. More on the exhibition Hallyu! which runs through August 17 at the Rietberg Museum in Zurich. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Season 8, episode 15 - Published: May 27, 2025 Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

The defining characteristic of the environment in China has been its pace of change. And that has its impact on the latest generation of Chinese entrepreneurs who need to innovate to meet the tough demands of Chinese consumers. The message is: adapt or get washed away. It's like constantly swimming with piranhas, says Zak Dychtwald, our guest on this episode. The skill to adapt to people's always evolving demands, is increasingly making Chinese companies globally competitive. Zak is the founder and CEO of Young China Group, a consultancy decoding China's market, workforce, and geopolitical shifts. Fluent in Mandarin and based in Shanghai, he brings over a decade of firsthand experience to his work as the author of Young China and a contributor to Harvard Business Review. A sought-after speaker invited to events on six continents, Zak combines data-driven research with deep cultural insight to help leaders navigate China's future. Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Season 8, episode 14 - Published: May 13, 2025 Hosts: Serena Jung, Nico Luchsinger, Asia Society Switzerland Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland

Bich Tran, a senior fellow at Verve Research, an adjunct fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a nonresident fellow at We Protect our Seas, discusses Vietnam's strategies at navigating geopolitical turmoil, while the country celebrates fifty years since its 1975 reunification. Why is the country rapidly increasing and intensifying its diplomatic ties around the world? Can it overcome the challenges and cement its place as Asia's next economic powerhouse, as the government is hoping for? Stay up-to-date on all events and activities at Asia Society Switzerland: subscribe to the newsletter and support our work by becoming a member. - STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.  Season 8, episode 13 - Published: April 29, 2025 Host: Remko Tanis, Asia Society Switzerland Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland