East-West Center in Washington

10/01/2026

Last week Program Manager, Nicholas Hamisevicz, presented at the Manila launch of the East-West Center’s The Philippines Matters for America/America Matters for the Philippines publication, hosted by U.S. Embassy in the Philippines.

As Nicholas reflects on the convening: “I want to thank Ambassador Lee Lipton and his staff for their generous hospitality, for introducing me to so many great people committed to US-Philippines relations, and for the ability to catch up with wonderful alumni of past EWC programs.

My presentation highlighted some of the important facts and figures in economics, security affairs, and people-to-people ties that make the US-Philippines relationship so robust. Moreover, mentioning fun connections involving food, culture, and sister-city relationships reminded us of the daily interactions we have between these two great countries.

It was also a privilege to thank in-person so many people whose courage, patience, and hard work brought forth the stories and statistics featured in the publication. My sincere thanks and appreciation also extend to my colleagues Charissa Yong and Jeanette Simmons for their work in producing the publication.

Read the news coverage of the event: https://www.dzrh.com.ph/post/us-ph-take-bilateral-relations-to-the-next-level-us-amb-lipton

Photo of Nicholas Hamisevicz with US Embassy Manila Colleagues.

09/18/2026

We were pleased to brief the Korean participants of the 2026 Korea-United States Journalists Exchange (KUSJE), while they were in Washington, DC last week.

The Korea-US Journalists Exchange was launched by the East-West Center in 2005 to increase public understanding through news media of the United States, Korea, and their relationship, through a 10-day dialogue, study, and travel program.

The 2026 Exchange marks the continued importance of the Korea-US relationship. With a focus on “Navigating the Evolving US-ROK Relationship: Trade, Investment, and Security Cooperation”.

The 2026 Korea-United States Journalists Exchange is funded by the East-West Center, Pacific Century Institute, and the Korea Press Foundation.

09/17/2026

REMINDER: There is still time to apply for the Spring cohort of the Young Professionals Program.

Young Professionals during their time at EWC will contribute widely, including but not limited to:

▶️ Researching and writing on contemporary US–Indo- Pacific relations issues for the Asia Matters for America website and publications

▶️ Tracking foreign policy in the media, the Indo-Pacific, and in Washington, DC.

▶️ Assisting staff and visiting fellows in the organization and ex*****on of EWCW programs, and creating content for the Center’s website, blog, and social media.

▶️ YPs also have the opportunity to independently draft articles on a topic of their choice related to US-Asia affairs, which are published in the Center’s Asia Matters for America initiative news section.

Sounds interesting? Apply here:

The EWC in Washington offers undergraduate and graduate students, and recent graduates first-hand training experience at a US-Indo-Pacific research and education organization in Washington, DC.

09/16/2026

📢 NEW ASIA PACIFIC ISSUE!

This article evaluates the legal and security implications of Thailand’s exit and assesses UNCLOS conciliation as a mechanism for conflict resolution. Drawing on the landmark Timor-Leste v. Australia precedent, the study demonstrates how Annex V conciliation serves as a confidential, non-confrontational circuit-breaker. By insulating negotiators from domestic political theater, historical “Preah Vihear trauma,” and populist nationalist pressures, conciliation allows both states the time and confidential space needed to decouple offshore hydrocarbon extraction from sovereignty claims, systematically evaluate maritime baselines in the Gulf of Thailand, and establish a stable foundation for returning to mutual trust and security.

Read the article here: https://bit.ly/4gKlChE

09/15/2026

WEBINAR RECAP: EWC Adjunct Fellow, Nilanthi Samaranayake, was a panelist on a webinar by the Institute for Security and Development Policy tilted "Ports, Power, and Political Access: China’s Strategic Grip over Sri Lanka".

This webinar will examine how infrastructure, coastal access, political relationships, and influence operations reinforce one another. Following earlier discussions on the Bay of Bengal and China–Indochina corridors, the webinar will consider whether Sri Lanka represents a self-contained development partnership or a central link in an interconnected Chinese maritime architecture extending across the Indian Ocean.

You can find a recording of the discussion here:

Is China’s engagement with Sri Lanka primarily a development partne...

09/11/2026

Don't miss our latest Asia Matters for America articles:

▶️ Rhode Island’s commercial fisheries are searching for new markets as climate change and shifting demand reshape the seafood industry. South Korea's appetite for high-value seafood suggests an overlooked export opportunity with broader geoeconomic implications. https://asiamattersforamerica.org/articles/squid-for-days-rhode-island-korea-and-the-geoeconomics-of-seafood-trade

▶️ As competition for critical minerals intensifies, the Cook Islands and the United States are deepening cooperation to map one of the Pacific's least explored strategic resources. https://asiamattersforamerica.org/articles/digging-deeper-us-cook-islands-partnership-on-critical-minerals

▶️ An upcoming Investor Forum shows how private sector mobilization will be central to the success of the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) - an infrastructure mega-project between the Philippines, the United States, and other US allies and partners. Attracting private sector investment to the LEC could add one million jobs to the Philippines' economy, and reshape the future of critical minerals supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region. https://asiamattersforamerica.org/articles/the-luzon-economic-corridor-investor-forum-is-a-testament-to-the-expansiveness-of-us-philippines-relations

09/09/2026

Applications are open for the Spring 2027 Young Professionals Program at the East-West Center in Washington!

If you're an undergraduate student, graduate student, or recent graduate with an interest in US–Indo-Pacific relations, this is a unique opportunity to build real experience at one of the country's leading research and education organizations focused on the region.

What you'll gain:

→ Exposure to policy, research, and international affairs across Asia and the Pacific
→ Robust opportunities to learn and network with leading Indo-Pacific experts
→ A foundation for a career in international relations, economics, or diplomacy

Backgrounds in international relations, Asia studies, or international economics are common among applicants, but anyone with a genuine interest in the Indo-Pacific is encouraged to apply.

Apply or learn more here: https://www.eastwestcenter.org/apply/young-professionals-program

09/08/2026

Nilanthi Samaranayake, EWC adjunct fellow, argues in the Lowy Institute's Interpreter, that the current crisis in Iran may be an opportunity for the US to reassess its Indian Ocean strategy.

Read the article here: https://bit.ly/4zPniO9

The last time Iran shocked Washington, it built 50 years of US presence.

09/02/2026

White sands, palm trees, turquoise waters. If you happen to think of the host of small island nations that make up the Pacific Islands Countries (PICs) that lie west of Hawai'i and east of the Philippines, it might conjure up these idyllic images. While that’s part of their charm, when Washington thinks about the PICs, thoughts turn lightly to competition with China, conflict with Taiwan, microeconomies where the US government wants US businesses to invest, and protecting the world’s tuna stock from predation.

In this article, Adjunct Senior Fellow Nick Synder provides reasons to care to care about the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) this week in Palau. This year’s PIF will be a test of US commitment, one far less serene than the beaches and atolls of these critically important islands.

Read the article here: https://bit.ly/3V7NhjU

08/11/2026

📢 NEW PUBLICATION!

The East-West Center, in partnership with the US Embassy Manila, has launched the second edition of The Philippines Matters for America/America Matters for the Philippines. Download the booklet here: https://asiamattersforamerica.org/philippines