PacTalk Episode 4: The FY 2027 Defense Budget, Trump-Xi Summit, and Balikatan (feat. Vanessa Hope)

In this episode of PacTalk, IIPS Chairman Randall Schriver and IIPS Board Member Derek Mitchell touch on the latest news in Washington and the Indo-Pacific, including the United States’ unprecedented $1.5 trillion FY 2027 defense budget request, prospects for the upcoming U.S.-China summit under the shadow of the Iran conflict, and ongoing Balikatan military exercises, now in their largest iteration to date. With award-winning producer and director Vanessa Hope, they spoke about her documentary “Invisible Nation,” which follows the presidency of Tsai Ing-Wen and Taiwan’s struggles to preserve its fledgling democracy.

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