Join the Global Affairs Program for a conversation on the rising role of middle powers in the Asia-Pacific region. This event will explore their strategic influence amid US-China tensions. Speakers will examine economic diversification and security partnerships, and multilateral diplomacy in contested areas.

Speaker biographies:

Christina Davis  is the Edwin O. Reischauer Professor of Japanese Politics in the Department of Government and Director of the Program on U.S.-Japan Relations at Harvard University. Her work focuses on international relations, diplomatic strategy, and security alliances, with particular attention to Japan's foreign policy and the dynamics of middle powers in the Asia-Pacific amid U.S.-China competition. She previously served as a visiting scholar at prominent policy institutes and has advised organizations including the U.S. State Department and leading think tanks.

Daniel Koss is an Associate Senior Lecturer and Research Scholar in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard University. His work focuses on Chinese and Japanese politics, with particular attention to political parties, local governance, and state institutions in East Asia. He previously served as an Assistant Research Fellow at Academia Sinica in Taipei and has held research affiliations with institutions focused on Chinese and East Asian studies.