Keyword: author:mikekulma

On US Visit, China's Xi Jinping Will 'Only Be Able to Go So Far'

US Vice President Joe Biden (R) shakes hands with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, DC, February 14, 2012. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

Policy

Asia Society's Mike Kulma says Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping's visit to the U.S. is a coming-out party for the presumptive new president that will do little to address thorny issues in China-U.S. relations.

February 14th by Michael Kulma | Comments

2012: Coming Year's Leadership Transitions Could Have Major Asia Impact

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (R), the presumptive heir to current President Hu Jintao, speaks with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen in Beijing on July 11, 2011. Xi is just one of several new world leaders who could have a major impact on Asia in 2012 and beyond. Photo by Chad J. McNeeley. (Flickr/Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff)

Policy

It seems only fitting that at the end of 2011, a year of such tremendous political change around the world, we should all be fixated with intense curiosity on the machinations of a leadership transition in North Korea.

There are many reasons for the events that unfolded into the Arab Spring, but at the root is a failure in leadership. While the Arab Spring did not result in similar uprisings in Asia, the events were followed with tremendous interest throughout the region.

December 27th by Michael Kulma | Comments

Kulma: Kim Jong Il's Death Adds to Regional Uncertainty

A South Korean activist paints on a caricature of Kim Jong Un, the youngest son and heir-apparent of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, during a rally denouncing the communist country's third-generation dynastic succession in Seoul on October 14, 2010. (Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images)

Policy

The news out of North Korea that leader Kim Jong Il has died, while surprising, is not completely unexpected. Faced with serious health concerns over the last few years, the North Korean leader began to put in place a plan for his son to take over the reins of power.

December 19th by Michael Kulma | Comments

Upcoming Summits Underscore Importance of East Asia in U.S. Strategy

(L to R) Chinese President Hu Jintao, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, U.S. President Barack Obama and Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stand together for a photograph at the Group of 20 (G20) Cannes Summit at the Palais des Festivals November 3, 2011 in Cannes, France. (Chris Ratcliffe-Pool/Getty Images)

Policy

Earlier today, the Asia Society released a task force report entitled U.S.-East Asia Relations: A Strategy for Multilateral Engagement. This report, compiled by an international group of experts, presents a series of practical recommendations on what the U.S. can do to build constructive relationships with Asian countries.

November 11th by Michael Kulma | Comments

Japan's Victory: A Triumph Bigger Than the World Cup

Japan's midfielder Homare Sawa celebrates after the FIFA Women's Football World Cup final match Japan vs USA on July 17, 2011 in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. Japan won 3-1 in a penalty shoot-out after the final had finished 2-2 following extra-time. (Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images)

Lifestyle

When Japan's women's soccer team fought back to a close victory against the United States in the World Cup final on Sunday in Germany, it broke a 26-game losing streak against the Americans. But the win was much more than just an underdog sports story, it was also a significant upturn for the nation's collective pride.

July 19th by Bryan Le | Comments

Crisis a "Leadership Opportunity" for Japan

A man cycles past upturned cars and tsunami wrought devastation in Natori City, Miyagi prefecture on March 14, 2011. (Mike Clarke /AFP/Getty Images)

Policy

Northeast Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami have already killed thousands and left a landscape in ruin, but the country's nightmare is far from over. Rescuers are struggling to find survivors and the Japanese government is grappling with unstable nuclear reactors.

"The Japanese government and its people are working together to deal with both the physical and emotional damage left in the wake,” says Michael Kulma, Asia Society's Executive Director for Global Leadership Initiatives.

March 14th by Shreeya Sinha | Comments