Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?

Why Should We Care How China’s Maritime Aggression Impacts America’s Prosperity and Security? | with U.S. Senator Todd Young

In Ep. 116, Senator Todd Young of Indiana sits down with co-hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso to discuss why what happens in the South China Sea, around Taiwan, and across the first island chain directly shapes America’s prosperity and national security. Senator Young, a former Marine Corps intelligence officer and one of the Senate’s leading voices on Indo-Pacific security, explains that he's championing the Ships for America Act and the HARPOON Act because he believes the U.S. cannot afford to turn inward in an era of intensifying competition with China. Drawing on his experience from a recent visit to the Philippines, Senator Young describes a population that feels “under siege” as China’s coast guard and maritime militia harass commercial and fishing vessels, challenge Manila’s sovereign rights, and test U.S. treaty commitments in one of the world’s most dangerous sea lanes. He explains how the northern Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, and the broader first island chain form a critical maritime corridor for global trade - and how Beijing’s push to control these waters could give it leverage over shipping, energy flows, and supply chains that Americans rely on every day. Young walks through two signature legislative initiatives: the HARPOON Act, which equips the U.S. and its partners to push back against China’s illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and broader resource predation, and the Ships for America Act, which aims to revive U.S. commercial shipbuilding capacity from just a handful of ocean-going vessels per year to a resilient fleet able to support both peacetime commerce and wartime logistics. He highlights how allies such as South Korea and Japan can bring capital, technology, and best practices to U.S. shipyards while expanded training pipelines build the welders, skilled trades, and merchant mariners needed to crew and maintain a larger fleet. The conversation also explores why the U.S. Coast Guard may be one of Washington’s most powerful but underutilized tools in countering China’s “gray-zone” activities, from illegal fishing to coercive law-enforcement-style operations far from China’s own shores. By combining Coast Guard authorities with new legislation and deeper capacity-building for regional partners, Young argues the U.S. can deter escalation, protect vital ocean resources, and help Indo-Pacific nations enforce their own laws in their own waters. 👉 Follow Sen. Young on his website [https://www.young.senate.gov/] or on X, @SenToddYoung [https://x.com/SenToddYoung] 👉 Follow the pod on X, @IndoPacPodcast [https://x.com/IndoPacPodcast], on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-should-we-care-about-the-indo-pacific/], or on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/IndoPacPodcast] 👉 Follow Ray on X, @GordianKnotRay [https://x.com/GordianKnotRay], or LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymondpowell/], or check out his maritime transparency work at SeaLight [https://www.sealight.live/] 👉 Follow Jim on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-carouso-baa31a9/] 👉 Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia [https://bowergroupasia.com/], a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific

Why Should We Care About China's Political Warfare Against Taiwan? | with Peter Mattis

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso welcome Peter Mattis, President of the Jamestown Foundation and former CIA analyst, to dissect the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) "political warfare" against Taiwan. Mattis argues this is not merely diplomatic maneuvering, but "United Front work playing out on a global scale" - a comprehensive campaign to reshape the international order by recreating China’s domestic political controls abroad. War by Other Means Mattis grounds the political warfare concept in George Kennan’s Cold War definition: the logical application of Clausewitz's doctrine in peacetime. For Beijing, unification is a political objective requiring total control over Taiwan’s social, economic, and political life - goals that military force alone cannot secure. The CCP seeks to "pull in" global interests, ensuring they are mediated through Beijing rather than through alliances or international law. The View from Taiwan For the Taiwanese, this warfare is felt on a spectrum. It ranges from the overt "gray zone" harassment of military aircraft and sand dredgers to the psychological grinding of CCP-aligned media narratives. These narratives are designed to paint the U.S. as unreliable and unification as inevitable. Mattis specifically highlights the corrosive effect of espionage, noting that every spy scandal erodes the critical trust necessary for Taiwan’s own bureaucracy and its security partners. United Front: A Global Dragnet A key mechanism discussed is the "Council for the Promotion of the Peaceful Reunification of China," which operates chapters globally, including in the U.S. and the Philippines. Mattis explains how these groups mobilize diaspora communities, often hijacking the voices of pragmatic businesspeople, to influence local politicians. He cites the recent indictment of former New York state official Linda Sun as a prime example of how these influence operations effectively bury engagement with Taiwan inside democratic institutions without leaving a public trace. The Japan Example & Global Signaling When Japan’s Prime Minister recently called a Taiwan contingency an "existential threat," China responded with fierce rhetoric and economic coercion. Mattis explains this reaction was double-edged: it aimed to punish Tokyo, but also served as a signal to the "Malaysias and Indonesias" of the region. The message is clear: if Beijing can inflict pain on a major power like Japan, smaller nations should fear the consequences of stepping out of line. The Democratic Deficit Why do democracies struggle to push back? Mattis argues our institutions are too siloed: the military ignores non-kinetic threats, diplomats fear rocking the boat, and law enforcement is jurisdiction-bound. China exploits these seams to operate without consequence. Mattis suggests democracies must stop looking for "symmetric" responses - which often don't exist - and instead pursue asymmetric, disproportionate measures to re-establish deterrence and uncertainty for Beijing. 👉 Follow Peter Mattis on X, @PLMattis [https://x.com/PLMattis] 👉 Follow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast [https://x.com/IndoPacPodcast], or LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-should-we-care-about-the-indo-pacific/] 👉 Follow Ray Powell on X, @GordianKnotRay [https://x.com/GordianKnotRay] 👉 Follow Jim Carouso on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-carouso-baa31a9/] 👉 Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia [https://bowergroupasia.com/]

Why Should We Care if China is Threatening Japan over Taiwan? | with Bonnie Glaser & Amb. Shingo Yamagami

In this special live pod, Ray and Jim were joined by two distinguished guests: Former Japanese Ambassador to Australia Shingo Yamagami and Bonnie Glaser, Director of the Indo-Pacific Program at the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. Together, they unpack China's escalating diplomatic offensive against Japan following PM Sanae Takaichi's recent statements about Taiwan. What Sparked the Crisis Ep. 114 centers on Takaichi's remarks in the Japanese Diet, where she responded to a hypothetical question about a Taiwan blockade scenario. She stated that if China imposed a blockade around Taiwan and the U.S. intervened, Japan could classify the situation as an "existence-threatening situation" under its national security legislation-potentially allowing deployment of Japan's Self-Defense Forces. Shingo emphasized this was not a policy change but a restatement of Japan's longstanding legal framework established a decade ago. Nevertheless, Beijing has reacted fiercely, labeling her comments an "unacceptable intervention" in China's domestic affairs. China's Strategic Calculus Bonnie explained that China's strong reaction stems from multiple factors: Xi Jinping's perceived loss of face after meeting Takaichi at the APEC summit, the 80th anniversary of WW2 amplifying anti-Japanese narratives, and concerns about Japan's military buildup in its Southwest Islands. China's broader message, she notes, is "kill the chicken to scare the monkey"-punishing Japan to deter other nations from challenging Beijing's red lines on Taiwan. China is also testing whether the United States will stand firmly behind its allies, seeking to drive wedges in the U.S.-Japan and other alliances. The Stakes for Japan and the Region Shingo underscored Taiwan's vital strategic importance to Japan. If Taiwan falls under CCP control, the entire East China Sea would become contested territory, potentially forcing U.S. forces to retreat from Okinawa and fundamentally weakening Japan's defense posture. As former Prime Minister Abe famously stated: "A Taiwan contingency is a Japan contingency." Shingo also discussed the shocking details about a Chinese consul general's social media post threatening that Takaichi's "dirty neck will be chopped off"-unprecedented diplomatic intimidation that has only strengthened Japanese public support for the new prime minister, whose approval ratings have surged into the mid-70s. The One China Policy vs. One China Principle The discussion clarifies a critical distinction often misunderstood: The U.S. "One China policy" and those of other Western nations are fundamentally different from China's "One China principle." Neither the U.S. nor Japan has ever agreed that Taiwan is part of China-they merely "acknowledged" or "understood and respected" Beijing's position. China is now aggressively pushing countries to abandon their individual policies and adopt its principle, which holds Taiwan as an "inalienable" part of China. Looking Ahead Both guests anticipate a prolonged chill in China-Japan relations. However, Shingo noted that China's economic vulnerabilities limit its coercion options-Beijing needs Japanese investment for its struggling economy. If Takaichi maintains her popularity and secures a strong political mandate, China may eventually be forced to engage with her government, as it did with the long-serving Abe administration. Glaser warns that China sees opportunity in a perceived U.S. decline and will continue pressuring allied coalitions, making unity among democratic partners more essential than ever. 👉 Follow Shingo on X, @YamagamiShingo [https://x.com/YamagamiShingo] 👉 Follow Bonnie on X, @BonnieGlaser [https://x.com/BonnieGlaser] 👉 Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia

Why Should We Care if Indonesia's "Jakarta Model" for Critical Minerals is Bad for Indonesians? | with Dr. Alvin Camba

In this episode, hosts Ray Powell and Jim Carouso welcome Dr. Alvin Camba, a sociologist who studies Southeast Asian political economies, China relations, and critical mineral supply chains. Camba, author of the New America article "The Jakarta Model is No Blueprint," critiques Indonesia's export ban on raw nickel and incentives for domestic refining, which have driven economic growth and positioned the country as a key EV battery supplier but have also resulted in severe human and environmental costs. Growth at what cost? Camba explains the "Jakarta model” - policies forcing mining firms to sell domestically, spurring smelters and industrial parks but creating oligopsonies where refiners dictate low prices, triggering a "race to the bottom" in mining practices. This has led to widespread environmental damage like air pollution, acid leakage, water contamination, land grabs, and health issues, including rising asthma and cancer rates near facilities since 2019, while workers endure 10-12 hour shifts over six-day weeks. Impressive parks, hidden harms: Inside sites like those in Sulawesi, visitors see advanced infrastructure with airports, ports, hotels, and thousands of workers, often funding local clinics and schools, which sustains public support despite scandals. Yet, mining outside these parks produces tailings dumps and forest clearance, while smelters emit pollutants into the air and rivers; in Kalimantan, bauxite processing creates radioactive red mud waste. Global copycats and Western challenges: Countries like Namibia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, and the Philippines eye the model for capital influx, often ignoring downsides amid weakened environmental oversight and political ties to Chinese joint ventures dominating smelters. Camba urges slower development with strong regulations, consultations, and transparency; for the West, building refining capacity requires market incentives to counter China's cheap, dirty dominance, with short-term reserves bridging gaps amid U.S.-China standoffs over rare earths and semiconductors. 👉 Follow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast [https://x.com/IndoPacPodcast], on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-should-we-care-about-the-indo-pacific/] or on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/IndoPacPodcast]. 👉 Follow Ray Powell on X, @GordianKnotRay [https://x.com/GordianKnotRay], or LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymondpowell/], or check out his maritime transparency work at SeaLight [https://www.sealight.live/] 👉 Follow Jim Carouso on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-carouso-baa31a9/] 👉 Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia [https://bowergroupasia.com/], a strategic advisory firm that specializes in the Indo-Pacific

Why Should We Care if a Tribunal Just Sentenced Bangladesh’s Former Prime Minister to Death? | with Dr. Lailufar Yasmin

In this episode, host Ray Powell sits down with Dr. Lailufar Yasmin, a renowned political scientist at the University of Dhaka, to unpack Bangladesh's dramatic recent political crisis and explore why what happens in this densely populated South Asian nation matters to the broader Indo-Pacific regional stability. Recorded just one day after Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death in absentia for crimes against humanity--this conversation provides crucial context for understanding a nation in transition. Powell and Dr. Yasmin discuss the uprising that toppled Hasina's government, the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, and the geopolitical implications for great power competition in South Asia. Dr. Yasmin explains how the July 2024 student protests escalated into a nationwide uprising after Hasina's government responded with lethal force, killing over 1,400 protesters. The movement, known as the "July Uprising," ultimately forced Hasina to flee to India on August 5, 2024, ending her 15-year authoritarian rule. The conversation explores how Hasina transformed from a democracy icon into an increasingly autocratic leader who rigged elections, suppressed opposition, and dismantled democratic institutions. The episode delves into the "July Charter," a reform blueprint calling for constitutional changes including a bicameral parliament, proportional representation, prime ministerial term limits, and restoration of the caretaker government system. Dr. Yasmin discusses the upcoming February 2026 referendum and elections, explaining the challenges of ensuring credible democratic transition amid deep political divisions, the banning of the Awami League political party, and security concerns. The conversation reveals how India's strong historical support for Hasina and the Awami League—rooted in India's assistance during Bangladesh's 1971 War of Independence—has created tension following her ouster. Dr. Yasmin describes India's initial disinformation campaigns falsely blaming Pakistani intelligence for the uprising, and how the interim government's engagement with China has also caused concern in New Delhi. She argues that Bangladesh must pursue an independent foreign policy that serves its national interests rather than simply accommodating regional powers. The discussion also provides essential historical context, tracing Bangladesh's origins from the 1971 Liberation War when East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) fought for independence from West Pakistan, resulting in genocide that killed an estimated three million people. Dr. Yasmin explains how this history continues to shape contemporary politics, including emotional debates over justice and national identity. Dr. Yasmin also addresses the selection of Muhammad Yunus as interim leader, describing how the Nobel Peace Prize winner's global credibility and pioneering work in microcredit made him an acceptable figure to unite a divided nation. She discusses both the promise and challenges of his leadership, including concerns about whether the interim government can remain truly neutral given that many of its coordinators are former student protesters. Dr. Yasmin challenges Western misconceptions about Bangladesh, emphasizing the nation's resilience, innovation in climate adaptation, economic progress, and warm hospitality. 👉 Follow us on X, @IndoPacPodcast [https://x.com/IndoPacPodcast] 👉 Follow Ray on X, @GordianKnotRay [https://x.com/GordianKnotRay] 👉 Follow Jim on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-carouso-baa31a9/] 👉 Sponsored by BowerGroupAsia [https://bowergroupasia.com/]