NPF International Trade Fellowship 2025

The training kicked off with a welcome address by Kevin Johnson, Senior Journalism Trainer at the Washington, D.C.-based National Press Foundation, and Chuin Wei Yap, the Hinrich Foundation’s research director. Andrew Staples, Advisor to the Hinrich Foundation and principal of GeoPol Asia, delivered the keynote on finding common ground in global instability in geopolitics and trade.

In the panels that followed, Steven Okun, Founder and CEO of APAC Advisors, unpacked the Trump administration's trade policies.  

Parag Khanna, founder and CEO of AlphaGeo, examined how global volatility is reshaping the world order. Khanna noted that globalization will persist despite many assumptions on its demise. He also discussed the ‘Asianization of Asia’ and the effect of migration and climate change on globalization and global trade.  

Shashi Jayakumar, executive director of SJK Geostrategic Advisory, discussed the security threats facing economies. Using the example of Singapore, Jayakumar illustrated the rise of cyber threats and disinformation. He recommended using ethical AI education, mentoring for vulnerable youth, nurturing civic discourse, and using integrated counterterrorism models to address contemporary security challenges. 

Gareth Tan, senior associate director at APCO, and Chuin Wei Yap, research director at the Hinrich Foundation, highlighted the growing role of the digital economy in global trade. Data is now a key strategic commodity and plays a key role in changing trade policy. This shift may reshape global trade rules, with the possible end of the WTO’s e-commerce moratorium next March opening the door to tariffs on digital goods.  

Trinh Nguyen, senior economist at Natixis, presented on navigating uncertainty in the ever-shifting international system. She analyzed the impacts of ‘Trumponomics’ on the global economy, focusing on Asia. Tariffs under Section 232 and 301 not only raised trade barriers but also forced firms to regionalize supply chains and rethink foreign direct investment strategies. Smaller Asian economies struggle with limited leverage in trade talks, while currency fluctuations add to competitiveness challenges. Nguyen concluded that financial markets have shown resilience despite these disruptions. 

Peter Landers from The Wall Street Journal, Daniel Moss from Bloomberg, and Rebecca Tan from the Washington Post discussed finding meaning in a never-ending news cycle. The panel presented the journalist with tips on navigating the rise of unconventional news outlets, public distrust in media sources, the importance of scoops, and more.  

Jason Lee, associate professor at the Yoo Loo Lin School of Medicine, presented his research on the need and ways to account for climate change in trade wars.  

Chen Gang, assistant director of the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore, provided an overview of China’s persistent economic imbalance, which undermines sustainable growth. Structural issues — prioritizing supply-side policies and not focusing on domestic consumption — limit economic growth. The 2022 crackdowns on tech and property sectors, rising local debt, and deflationary pressures have further eroded confidence and spending. Without deep reforms, China risks prolonged stagnation with significant global trade repercussions. 

Bilahari Kausikan, former Ambassador-at-Large for Singapore, wrapped up the four-day workshop with a session on the changing face of US foreign policy. He addressed issues including ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the rising global geopolitical contest between the US and China, and how Singapore and Asia should navigate these evolving challenges.

The training program also featured a field visit to the Port of Singapore, the world’s busiest trans-shipment port, and the port’s innovation center, a multimedia showcase of the island-nation’s next-generation supply chain ecosystem.