YCAPS and ICAS co-sponsored a discussion on 3 February about “Australia-China Relations: Current Tensions and Future Prospects,” with Natasha Kassam, director of the Lowy Institute’s Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program, and a former Australian diplomat who researches Australia’s Indo-Pacific strategy, China’s domestic politics, Taiwan, and Australia-China relations.
After a brief introduction from the moderator, hosted by Benoit Hardy-Chartrand, Adjunct Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, Temple University Japan, Ms. Kassam conducted a thorough analysis of the Australia-China relations since 2017 and highlighted that political opposition in Australia to China has hardened in recent years. She ended her prepared remarks by stating there is shared interest in preserving the international trading system and that there is hope that President Biden will promote a more stable situation. A spirited Q&A covered topics that included issues involving PRC students in Australia, public domain research and the Quad. The large turnout and active Q&A made it clear that there is significant interest in this topic.