Biden and Asia: Perspectives From the Region

What have we learned about Biden’s priorities in his first 100 days in the White House? Is Washington’s approach to China shifting? Where is the US Indo-pacific strategy heading? And what is Asia’s view of this new administration?

100 days after Joe Biden’s inauguration as the United States’ 46th President, join us for a discussion on what has already been achieved and what still need to be done. Our panel of experts will review Biden’s first few months as President from an Asia-Pacific perspective and highlight the various impacts of this planned policies on the region.

Date: Thursday 22 April 2021
Time: 5 - 6:30 p.m. AEST

Please note this event is open to the public and will run as a webcast only. Registration is essential. For any enquiries, please contact programaustralia@asiasociety.org

Agenda

5:00 – 5:05     Forward and Introduction

5:05 – 5:45     Discussion A: Security, Defence and Democracy

According to its latest 5-year plan, Beijing plans to sustain pressure on the South China and East China Seas and use its economic leverage to secure alliances in the region. This strategy is based on the belief that the US’ influence is dwindling. But with Biden in power, how will the US’ military and defence priorities change in the Indo-Pacific region? Couple this with political uncertainty and rising illiberalism, how will strategic and defence objectives interplay with a US return to promoting democracy in the region? Join Bates Gill, Professor of Asia-Pacific Security Studies and Macquarie University and Scholar-in-Residence at Asia Society Australia, C. Raja Mohan, Director of the Institute of South Asian Studies, Yuka Koshino, Research Fellow for Japanese Security and Defence Policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London, Lynn Kuok, Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow for Asia Pacific Security, International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), as they review the security and defence policies and priorities that will impact the region.

5:50 – 6:20     Discussion B: Environment, Economy and Trade

To recover from four years of Trump’s protectionism and defend its position as the world’s most open economy, the US will have to restore its leadership in multilateral institutions, re-enter the global trade order, and join the Paris agreement on climate change. Collaboration with China on climate change could also be an opportunity to gain international prestige and stabilise current tensions. Join Victor Andres Manhit, President of Stratbase/ADR Institute and Christine Loh, former Under-Secretary for the Environment at Hong Kong SAR, as they unpack Biden’s climate policies and the economic development project that will impact the region.

6:20 – 6:30     Wrap-up Dialogue

This event is in partnership with Asia Society Hong Kong, Asia Society India, Asia Society Japan, and Asia Society Philippines.