Australia and Asia in the Trump era

Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency has changed the geopolitical and economic outlook for Australia and the world. We are facing an Administration pursuing trade protectionism, a more nationalistic foreign policy, and a transactional approach to international negotiations.

As Australia navigates the shifting international landscape of this new era, strengthening ties with Asia offers a potential hedge against the unpredictability of U.S. policy.

The pace of change under Trump suggests that Australia needs to do this now.

The importance of Asia to Australia is not a question of if. Numerous reports and strategies have made a clear case for the significance the region has to Australia’s prosperity and security.

The question we still seem to grapple with is how. And with Trump back in the White House, there’s a renewed, perhaps even unprecedented, urgency to find ways to work and collaborate with Asia to shore up our interests, both in the short term as well as for future generations.

So, in this year’s Asia Agenda campaign, we ask the question: How can Australia accelerate its relations with Asia in the Trump era?

By deepening economic, security, and diplomatic connections with key Asian partners - such as Japan, India, and the ASEAN nations - Australia can potentially reinforce its strategic autonomy while maintaining its alliance with Washington.

Expanding trade agreements, enhancing regional defence cooperation, building technology and higher education partnerships, and fostering better people-to-people ties will provide greater resilience against potential U.S. policy shifts.

After the federal election, policymakers now face an immediate renewed challenge of embedding Australia in Asia’s economic and security architecture to safeguard our long-term national interests in an increasingly polarised world.

Asia Agenda 2025 will feature the perspective of leaders and experts in key sectors and industries connecting Australia to Asia on how Australia and their sector can accelerate relations with Asia in practical ways. Their insights will be critical in raising greater awareness of this issue, and to help identify possible solutions and new policy approaches. 

TO LAUNCH JUNE 2025