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The Asia Chessboard

Center for Strategic and International Studies

The “Asia Chessboard” features in-depth conversations with the most prominent strategic thinkers on Asia. CSIS Senior Vice President for Asia and former senior national security council offi...

Episodes

20 of 137 episodes

Countering Asia's Axis of Authoritarianism

In this episode, Mike is joined by Dr. Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Associate Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University o...

42:19Sep 29, 2026

Taking Stock of U.S. Strategy in Asia

In this episode, Mike sits down with Randall Schriver, Chairman of the Board at the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security and former Assistant...

45:13Sep 15, 2026

Asia in the New Nuclear Age

Mike is joined by Professor Vipin Narang, the Frank Stanton Professor of Nuclear Security and Political Science and inaugural director of MI...

56:12Sep 1, 2026

Why Europe Still Matters to Asia's Security

What does a more uncertain transatlantic relationship mean for Europe’s role in the Indo-Pacific? Mike sits down with Dr Gorana Grgić, Head...

50:51Aug 19, 2026

From INDOPACOM to PACOM: Is There a Strategic Backstory?

In this episode, Mike is joined by Dr Arzan Tarapore, Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and Visiting Fellow...

47:21Aug 4, 2026

How Prepared is the United States for War in the Indo-Pacific?

In this episode, Mike sits down with Bryan Clark, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at the Hudson...

43:44Jul 21, 2026

The New Great Game in the Pacific Islands

In this episode, Mike is joined by Ambassador Laura Stone, who most recently served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Marshall Islan...

46:01Jun 30, 2026

The Power Politics behind Xi’s Grand Strategy

This week, Mike hosts Professor Minxin Pei, the Tom and Margot Pritzker ‘72 Professor of Government and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremon...

43:56Jun 18, 2026

Grand Strategy Down Under

Mike sits down with Justin Bassi, Executive Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, to examine Australia’s latest 2026 Nation...

53:23May 26, 2026

A New Security Consensus in South Korea?

Mike joins Dr. Choi Kang, President of the Seoul-based Asan Institute for Policy Studies, to break down the latest results from the Institut...

46:48May 12, 2026

How Does Southeast Asia View U.S.–China Competition?

In this episode, Mike is joined by Joanne Lin Weiling, Senior Fellow and Coordinator at the ASEAN Studies Centre at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak In...

39:45May 1, 2026

The Iran War and Strategic Competition in Asia

In this episode, Mike sits down with Evan Medeiros, the Penner Family Chair in Asia Studies at Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and Cl...

43:17Apr 7, 2026

Holding the Line: Denial Defense Along the First Island Chain

Mike joins Toshi Yoshihara, Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, D.C., to explore the signific...

44:07Mar 18, 2026

Crucial Partners: the Volatile and Indispensable U.S.-India Linkage

Mike joins Tanvi Madan, senior fellow with the Center for Asia Policy Studies in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution. Th...

53:20Feb 24, 2026

Taiwan’s Strategic Clarity Amid Global Upheaval

Mike joins I-Chung Lai, President of The Prospect Foundation. Prior to current role, he held several prominent positions within Taiwan’s Dem...

42:46Feb 10, 2026

Washington’s New China Tech Strategy

Mike joins Emily Kilcrease, senior fellow and director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Secur...

37:07Jan 20, 2026

Ely Ratner - Does Asia Need a Collective Defense Pact?

Mike joins Ely Ratner, Principal at The Marathon Initiative and Senior Adviser at Clarion Strategies. Previously he was Assistant Secretary...

43:27Jan 6, 2026

The Necessary Deepening of Japan’s Alliances

In this episode, Mike speaks with Christopher Johnstone, Partner and Chair of the Defense & National Security Practice at The Asia Group. Pr...

45:57Dec 16, 2025

The IP4 Partners: Where NATO Meets the Indo-Pacific

In this episode, Mike speaks with three leading experts on international security: Elizabeth Saunders, Director of the Saltzman Institute of...

50:33Dec 2, 2025

Trade Policy and U.S. Geopolitical Strategy

Mike speaks with Barbara Weisel, nonresident scholar in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She built a care...

38:26Oct 21, 2025