Walter Wang

Risky Business: Understanding Asia's Geopolitical and Societal Uncertainties

Gwen Robinson, Brian Baker, Curtis S. Chin, Seki Obata, Walter Wang, Brendan Connor, Ben Rosen

Distinguished experts from JM Eagle, Keio University, the Milken Institute, and PIMCO analyzed Asia's shifting risk landscape, identifying critical challenges ranging from China's severe water infrastructure deficits and political centralization to the region's fragmented capital markets and geopolitical tensions. The speakers highlighted emerging investment opportunities in Southeast Asian infrastructure, non-communicable disease sectors, and public-private partnership models while warning that the United States and Japan face strategic setbacks for initially opposing the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Ultimately, the discussion concluded that success in the region requires moving beyond a China-centric focus to address diverse local vulnerabilities, including aging populations, climate disasters, and the specific economic trajectories of ASEAN nations.