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.

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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.

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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.

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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: switzerland@asiasociety.org

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.

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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.

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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.
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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.
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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.
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STATE OF ASIA is a podcast from Asia Society Switzerland.
Published: December 2, 2025
Host/Editor: Remko Tanis, Managing Editor, Asia Society Switzerland