Jonathan Stromseth, a senior fellow and Lee Kuan Yew Chair in Southeast Asian Studies at Brookings, interviews Brookings President John R. Allen about the strategic significance of Southeast Asia, US relations with countries in the region, and the China challenge. President Allen recently returned from an extended trip to East Asia, where in June he opened and participated in a Brookings conference in Taipei on “The Risks of the Asian Peace: Avoiding Paths to Great Power War.” That conference is part of a broader Brookings project focused on Sustaining the Long Peace in East Asia. Subsequently, President Allen traveled to Singapore where Stromseth had an opportunity to join him for a series of dialogues with senior officials and regional policy experts. In this episode, President Allen reflects on his trip and considers the possible implications of his discussions and observations for U.S. Asia policy. Also on the program, what’s happening in Congress, with Senior Fellow Molly Reynolds on divisions in the House Democratic caucus and why inter-party polarization is the more serious issue in Congress. Subscribe to Brookings podcasts  or on , send feedback email to , and follow us and tweet us at  on Twitter. The Brookings Cafeteria is part of the .