Disruptive Asia

A new thought-leadership project examining the impact of Asia's rise on Australia

Disruptive Asia China edition

Disruptive Asia 2017 (Volume One)

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The first edition of Disruptive Asia  - coinciding with the 20th anniversary of Asia Society Australia in 2017 - presents 20 essays from the leading and emerging Asia watchers on Australia’s foreign policy in the region, business connectivity, community links, shared regional challenges, Asia competencies and cultural diversity. Download Volume One

 

Disruptive Asia 2018 (Volume Two) - ASEAN Special Edition

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Throughout 2018, Disruptive Asia will focus on the ASEAN region and Australia's relations with its South-East Asian neighbours. The ASEAN edition coincides with the historic ASEAN-Australia Special Summit held in Sydney in March 2018 - the first time Australia has hosted the forum on its shores, and one of the largest gatherings of Asia's leaders in Australia's diplomatic history. Download Volume Two (ASEAN Special Edition) 

 

Disruptive Asia 2019 (Volume Three) - China Special Edition

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In 2019 Disruptive Asia turns it's focus to China. The series, released on a rolling basis, will examine how Australia can engage with China. We will focus on the critical areas of the bilateral relationship – trade and investment, education, countering crime, technology, philanthropy, developmental assistance, human rights, and social cohesion and protection of our Australian-Chinese community. The series will provide a contextual brief and practical, implementable ideas to the incoming Australian government and business, education and political leaders and community. Explore it now

Disruptive Asia Essays

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Step-up with China in the Pacific on climate change and development aid

By Dermot O’Gorman, Chief Executive Officer, World Wide Fund for Nature Australia

The Pacific cannot afford to wait for Australia’s domestic politics to align in its favour. It needs consistent and concerted support from its neighbours.
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Australia and the BRI: Cooperate, compete or challenge

By Jane Golley, Director, Australian Centre on China in the World & James Laurenceson, Acting director, Australia-China Relations Institute

Nowhere is calibrating an effective Australian response more important than in the Pacific.
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Speak truth to China without shouting

By Say Boon Lim, Australian-based consultant, advisor and non-executive director to companies in Asia

Australia has to stand up for its broader interests, notwithstanding possible economic blowback.
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Trusting Chinese Australians as partners in managing a rising superpower

By Jason Yat-sen Li, Chairman, Vantage Asia Holdings; Senate Fellow, University of Sydney; Advisory Board Member, China Matters

When does a new migrant stop being Chinese and start being Australian?
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Digital China: Has Australia been spooked?

By Greg Austin, Professor of Cyber Security, Strategy and Diplomacy, Australian Defence Force Academy

In spite of its undoubted cyber offensive capability for espionage, China is weak in defence in this domain.​​​​​​​
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White Paper trails: Why defence cooperation still matters

By Brendan Sargeant, Honorary Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, ANU

It is important Australia and China understand each other, their perspectives on the world and how this translates into strategy and operational practice.
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Economic bondage: Time to apply a 'small-yard high-fence' strategy to China

By Neil Thomas, Research Associate, MacroPolo

Economic engagement unquestionably gives Beijing greater weight in Canberra’s decision-making, but China’s ability to convert trade into leverage is actually quite limited.
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Chinese investment and Australian infrastructure: Broadening the concept, and our minds

By Stuart Fuller, Global Head of Law, KPMG & Board memebr, Asia Society Australia

While sources of foreign investment change over time, the weight of capital flowing from China cannot be ignored.
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Bounded engagement: Charting a new era in Australia-China relations

By Dr Bates Gill, Professor of Asia-Pacific Security Studies, Macquarie University

There is no viable alternative to continued engagement. This is certainly true for Australia, but it is also true for China.
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Australia and a region in the making

By Greg Earl, Editor, Asia Briefing and Disruptive Asia, Asia Society Australia

Australia can’t turn away from the challenges and shouldn’t miss the opportunities that such a diverse region as South-East Asia will keep presenting.
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Why the region has given up on ‘shaping China’

By Huong Le Thu, Senior analyst, Defence and Strategy Program, Australian Strategic Policy Institute

South-East Asian leaders must relearn how to agree on their joint regional interests if they are going to be able to manage the rise of China.
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A shared maritime destiny for Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines

By Natalie Sambhi, Research Fellow, Perth USAsia Centre

Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines are natural partners in promoting security and preserving stability in the maritime domains of their shared region.

About Disruptive Asia

Disruptive Asia is a thought-leadership project by Asia Society Australia launched in 2017. It presents – through long-form essays – new perspectives and policy recommendations on how Asia’s rise is impacting Australia’s foreign policy, economy and society and how Australia should respond. Disruptive Asia deliberately looks at both external aspects of Australia’s  relationship with Asia (foreign policy, business connectivity, international education) and their domestic implications and manifestations (community relations, leadership diversity, education settings and capabilities).

The Asia debate has long ceased to be an exclusive intellectual domain of foreign policy and business elite. Asia’s ascendancy and the resulting geopolitical, geoeconomic, demographic and social shifts affect virtually all facets of Australian life. Disruptive Asia is a humble attempt to re-start the conversation about the impact of Asia on Australia and our place in the region, and broaden, deepen and bring together the community of those who debate these issues.

Join the conversation on Twitter (#DisruptiveAsia) and subscribe to our newsletter.

Disruptive Asia was made possible through the “Desai-Oxnam Innovation Fund” established by the Asia Society to celebrate generosity and almost 40 years of combined service of former Asia Society Presidents Dr. Vishakha Desai and Dr Robert Oxnam. The views expressed in all Disruptive Asia publications are the authors’ own and do not represent those of the Asia Society. Copyright © Asia Society Australia 2017-2018

READ 2019 China Edition

Disruptive Asia Debate Series

INSIGHTS