Taiwan's presidential election in January 2024 decides not only its top leader but also the way it faces the Mainland China. Will the relationship between China and Taiwan change amid the China’s mounting challenge to the U.S. hegemony? What would it mean to the Xi Jinping administration which regards reunification as “must be fulfilled”? While tensions increase cross strait, Taiwan experts will gather to analyze the crisis scenario and discuss what needs to be done by Japanese businesses in Taiwan from economic security perspective.

There is growing concern that the Chinese economy has been slowing down. At a time when the population growth, which has supported extremely fast economic growth so far, has started to decline and the problem of excessive debt of local governments and real estate companies has quickly emerged. The soft landing of the bubble market has also become a major challenge for the Xi Jinping administration. The communist party and the government are trying to overcome these difficulties by improving productivity through DX (digital transformation) and other means, however there are also concerns about the impact of Western semiconductor regulations on China against the backdrop of the US-China confrontation. Where is the Chinese economy, which has shouldered new burdens such as a declining birthrate and aging population, headed? How should Japanese companies, which are forced to choose their businesses between the U.S. and China, perceive the Chinese market and prepare for it in the future? Chinese experts with their first-hand knowledge on both economics and domestic politics will examine the situation and discuss the way forward for Japanese companies.

Having recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, India is once again on a trajectory of high growth. It is widely believed that the ultimate goal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be seeking a third term in next year’s general election, is to become the leader of the “Global South” and to join the ranks of superpowers. Externally, India is pursuing an “omnidirectional” foreign policy; it has rapidly improved its relations with the U.S. in areas such as semiconductors and arms even as it maintains close ties with Russia and vies with China. In the next “Future of Asia” seminar, experts will analyze and predict India’s diplomatic strategy and economic policy as we reflect on the outcome of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi in early September.