Join us on July 22nd at 10:30am ET via Zoom Webinar for the next session of our Southeast Asia in Focus Series, “50 Years Later: Youth, Diaspora, and the Future of US-Vietnam Relations.” 2025 marks 50 years since the Vietnam War ended. Since then, US-Vietnam relations have progressed from conflict to cooperation. This webinar will discuss how education, youth, and the Vietnamese diaspora can impact the future of their relationship. The speakers will also discuss the influence of exchange programs, the growth of educational partnerships (such as Fulbright University Vietnam), and how Vietnamese-Americans have built and are continuing to build bridges between both countries. The webinar will also focus on opportunities to improve engagement through civic leadership and cultural connection.

USAI participated in CAPASA Embassy Night, hosted by the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association. The event brought together congressional staff, embassies, and community organizations for an evening of cultural exchange and networking. USAI hosted a table and had the opportunity to engage directly with embassy representatives, share our programs, and strengthen relationships across the diplomatic and legislative communities.

USAI hosted a timely roundtable discussion on the evolving dynamics in the South China Sea, featuring perspectives from U.S. and Vietnamese experts. The conversation, moderated by Dr. Hunter Marston, included insights from Dr. Nguyen Hung Son of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and Dr. William Piekos of the Congressional Research Service. Speakers discussed the strategic importance of the region, shared views on maritime security, trade, and supply chains, and highlighted areas of convergence and divergence between U.S. and Vietnamese interests.

USAI, in partnership with the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), hosted a Capitol Hill briefing focused on workforce development and U.S. competitiveness. The event featured industry leaders from Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and more, who discussed how Japanese automakers are building talent pipelines through innovative community and education partnerships.

As the world faces accelerating climate challenges, Northeast Asia is emerging as a critical region for climate action and policy innovation. This webinar will explore the climate agendas of countries within the region, examining how their policies and innovation shape the path towards decarbonization. The panel will feature Scott Moore, China Fellow at the Wilson Center and Director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, and Jackson Ewing, Director of Energy and Climate Policy at the Nicholas Institute at Duke University.

Organized crime in Southeast Asia’s “Golden Triangle” proliferates across Asia and the rest of the world. In the wake of this crisis, multinational institutions such as the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have worked to close what they call “one of the biggest drug trafficking corridors in the world.” This webinar will shed light on the underreported crisis that is organized crime in Southeast Asia while also proposing solutions to this problem. Join us to discuss this timely issue with distinguished experts, Dr. Asyura Salleh, Associate Program Officer at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and Leo S.F. Lin, Senior Lecturer at Charles Sturt University’s School of Policing Studies.

In recent years, BRICS—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—has been exploring ways to counter the dominance of the U.S. dollar in global trade. Join us to discuss how Northeast Asia, and major world economies, China, Japan, and South Korea, may be affected by evolving BRICS policy and US trade policy under the new administration.  This webinar will feature distinguished experts, Dr. Mihaela Papa, Mr. David Lubin, and Mr. Surya Gunasekara.

This special, roundtable discussion covers South Korea’s post-impeachment political landscape and possibilities for US-Korea relations in the coming years and features Korea experts, Ms. Tami Overby, Ms. Sarah Ahn, and Dr. Michael Beeman.

This event is open to congressional staff and is by invitation only. Please reach out if you have any questions or are interested in attending.

The US-Asia Institute and the National Committee on North Korea invite you to join us for a special briefing entitled "A New Era of US-North Korea Policy: How neglect and missteps have made the Korean Peninsula more dangerous" featuring visiting experts from NK News: Chad O'Carroll, Chief Executive Officer of Korea Risk Group, Jeongmin Kim, Lead Correspondent and Editorial Director at Korea Pro, Shreyas Reddy, Lead Correspondent, and Colin Zwirko, Senior Analytic Correspondent. 

This webinar will explore the extent to which alternative strategic partnerships can be considered in a Southeast Asian attempt to prevent political alignment with the US or China. Join us as we welcome Elina Noor (Senior Fellow, Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace), Greg Poling (Director and Senior Fellow, Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, CSIS), and the webinar's moderator, Chris Fenton (Trustee of the US-Asia Institute) to discuss Southeast Asia within the US-China global power competition.

Join us for our annual Lunar New Year Celebration and help us usher in the Year of the Snake!

This briefing will discuss key areas and issues for US-Asia relations over the next two years. The panel will feature, Tami Overby, Vice Chair of the US-Asia Institute, Shihoko Goto, Director of the Indo-Pacific Program at the Wilson Center, Andreyka Natalegawa, Associate Fellow in the Southeast Asia Program at CSIS, and Sean Stein, President of the US-China Business Council. Briefing to be followed by a networking reception for staffers and diplomats. Light refreshments and drinks will be provided.

This event is by invitation only and is intended for congressional staff. If you have questions about the event please reach out to usai@usasiainstitute.org.

This briefing will cover what to know about the 119th Congress and key areas of focus for US-Asia relations over the next two years. Panelists representing the Republican and Democratic perspectives in Congress will offer insights into priorities of the 119th Congress and how they might impact the Indo-Pacific. The briefing will be followed by a reception at 5:00PM, drinks and light refreshments will be provided. Diplomats are welcome to listen in on the 'Why Asia Matters' briefing for congressional staff at 4:00PM or leave and return at 5:00PM.

This event is by invitation only and is intended for diplomatic staff and special guests only. If you have questions or are interested in the event please reach out to usai@usasiainstitute.org

A celebration of the US-Asia Institute’s 45th year and expression of gratitude for the support of our community.

This program, designed for foreign diplomats covered elections in all positions from the Presidency to local county officials. Mr Jon Gregory, Senior Vice President at Yorktown Solutions, and Mr Jeremy Haldeman, Deputy Executive Director of the Community Sponsorship Hub will offer an overview of the American electoral process as well as insights on key aspects of the elections in Virginia this year. Following the briefings, participants will visit a Virginia polling site to observe voting processes and speak with local elected officials.

This event is by invitation only.

The US-Asia Institute bids farewell to Minister of Congressional Affairs, Tomoaki Ishigaki, of the Embassy of Japan and extends our heartfelt appreciation to Minister Ishigaki for everything he has done to help strengthen our Japan programs during his time in Washington.

We often hear about the relationship between the US and China in a diplomatic or strategic setting, but less often discussed is how US-China relationships affect the world of academia and the exchange of ideas. Join us as we welcome academics to discuss the impact of US-China relations on research and cross-cultural collaboration. 

Exploring US-China Dynamics in Academia

Friday, August 9th, 2024 | 11am-12pm EDT

Held via Zoom

On July 24, we honored all of our Youth Development Program cohorts, their mentors, their embassies, and YDP Alumni. Thank you to all who joined us, including our special guests from the diplomatic community. Without our USAI friends and partners, these programs would not be possible.

USAI hosted one session of the India 101 Congressional Briefing Series this spring, offering Congressional staff the opportunity to hear from experts with direct experience and expertise on U.S. policy toward India and Indian domestic actions.

This briefing, entitled “Historical Overview of US-India Relations, Economic Prospects, and India’s Growing Tech Sector,” featured Dr. Irfan Nooruddin Professor of Indian Politics at Georgetown University, and Javade Chaudhri, Of Counsel at Jones Day.