A proposal from Australia’s Ambassador in Tokyo for a new Indo-Pacific security grouping bringing together Australia, Japan, India and South Korea is fueling debate over whether the region's middle powers are preparing to shoulder more of the burden of regional security. The idea comes as Tokyo deepens defense ties with Canberra and New Delhi, while China dismisses the proposal as "pure fantasy" and warns against what it sees as efforts to contain its rise. As questions grow over the future role of the United States under President Donald Trump, can a network of like-minded middle powers strengthen regional deterrence without becoming a formal anti-China bloc? In this episode, we examine the strategic logic behind the proposed grouping, the challenges it faces, and what a more interconnected network of Indo-Pacific partners could mean for Taiwan, regional security and the future balance of power.
*Recorded on August 27, 2026 at 3pm Taiwan Standard Time
Host: Wen-Ti Sung
Producer: Suvam Pal
Videographer: Damon Lin
Our guests:
Tsai Jung-hsiang
- National Chung Cheng University Political Science Professor
Mark S. Cogan
- Kansai Gaidai University Peace and Conflict Studies Associate Professor
Purnendra Jain
- University of Adelaide Asian Studies Emeritus Professor
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