The US-Asia Institute and the National Committee on North Korea invite you to join us for a special briefing featuring Michael Schiffer, former Senior Advisor & Counselor, Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Keith Luse, President, National Committee on North Korea. The panelists will discuss Michael's recent report, "The Role and Authorities of the Executive Branch and Congress for the Implementation of a Potential North Korea Agreement", which highlights the potential legal, political, diplomatic, and operational considerations for future US-DPRK policy.

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.

Join us on February 11th at 2:00 pm for a discussion with Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, Director of the China-Indonesia Desk and the Indonesia-MENA Desk at the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS), and Cecilia Therese (Niner) T. Guiao, Operations Director at Parabukas, on Southeast Asia’s evolving role in climate governance. Faced with growing climate issues, this webinar will explore how the region can strategically navigate partnerships in the context of an intensifying U.S.–China divide on climate policy, with the US’ retreat from climate-based partnerships and China’s growing influence. This discussion will be moderated by Murray Hiebert, senior associate of the Southeast Asia Program at CSIS.

Join us on January 29th for our annual outlook for Asia and Congress briefing. This briefing will discuss key areas of interest to the Asian region and U.S policymakers. Featuring, Keith Luse, President of the National Committee on North Korea, Dr. Patricia Kim, David M. Rubenstein Fellow at the Brookings Institution and holds a joint appointment to the John L. Thornton China Center and the Center for East Asia Policy Studies, Dr. Prashanth Parameswaran, Fellow at the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security, Ms. Shihoko Goto, Vice President of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, Mr. Andreyka Natalegawa, associate fellow for the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.

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.

USAI facilitated a discussion of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation’s 2026 agenda and this year’s theme, Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together.

Join us for a discussion with Daniel C. Sneider and Terence Roehrig on the US-ROK-Japan alliance in the context of China's rapid military modernization and growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The trilateral partnership between the United States, South Korea, and Japan has become increasingly crucial for regional stability. Faced not only with other regional players like North Korea, the success of the trilateral alliance faces historical conflicts, changing leadership, and competing priorities. Despite these challenges, the US-ROK-Japan alliance serves as a promising solution to the shifting geopolitical situation in the Indo-Pacific. This webinar will evaluate the trajectory of this partnership, opportunities and constraints, and strategic recommendations for strengthening this alliance in the near future.

Join us on October 9th, 10:30 AM ET for a discussion on recent protests in Southeast Asia, the role of media in mass mobilization, and expert forecasts for democratic resilience and political reform in the Southeast Asia region. Featuring expert insights from Dr. Meredith Weiss, Professor of Political Science and Founding Director of the SUNY/CUNY Southeast Asia Consortium, University of Albany, Dr. Prashanth Parameswaran, Fellow, Wilson Center's Asia Program, Dr. Julio Teehankee, Full Professor of Political Science, Department of International Studies, De Salle University, Manila, and Dr. Will Piekos, Analyst, Asian Affairs, Congressional Research Service

Join us on September 23 at 10:30am ET for a discussion on how China is expanding its technological reach through major investments and platforms, the risks tied to undersea cable disruptions, and what these shifts mean for security, international rules, and the Northeast Asian region.

Featuring distinguished experts, Erin Murphy, Deputy Director and Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Dr. April Herlevi, Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Naval Analyses, and Chris Fenton, China expert and Trustee at the US-Asia Institute.

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 roundtable exploring US-Korea relations in the technology sector. The discussion featured industry experts from companies such as Samsung and Google, unpacking bilateral cooperation and highlight regulatory challenges US companies face in Korea. 

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.

USAI hosted an exclusive Congressional Roundtable focused on ‘The Post-Impeachment Landscape in Korea and Its Ongoing Relevance to the United States’. The discussion featured experts Sarah Ahn (Economic Minister, Embassy of the Republic of Korea) and Dr. Michael Beeman (Author, Lecturer & Former Senior US Trade Official), and was moderated by Tami Overby (DGA Albright Stonebridge). 

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.