Asia Summit 2024
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Securing Australia's Asian destiny
Australia faces such a complex mix of risks and opportunities in Asia. Understanding how to navigate growing strategic turbulence in the region while deepening and diversifying trade and investment ties has become a critical issue for Australian governments and businesses. Hearing leading government and business voices from Asia is critical to developing an informed understanding of the region’s evolving economic and strategic dynamics.
The Financial Review Asia Summit, in partnership with Asia Society Australia will bring together some of Asia and Australia’s most influential political and business leaders, thinkers, strategists, entrepreneurs and technology experts. It will provide fresh perspectives on how Asia is transforming Australia’s future through geopolitical competition, economic growth and technological and social change. Most of all, it will be a national forum to explore the tensions, trade-offs and synergies between Australia’s effort to advance both its prosperity and its security in the world’s most important region. The Summit will be curated in conjunction with Asia Society experts and moderated and covered in depth by The Financial Review's leading journalists, ensuring nationwide coverage of the event by Australia’s only national business newspaper.
Date: Tuesday 3 September 2024
Time: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: Sofitel Melbourne on Collins
In person and virtual passes available.
Confirmed speakers include
Penny Wong
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Dr. Kyung-wha Kang
President and CEO,
Asia Society
Kevin Rudd
Australia's Ambassador to the United States of America
Shigehiro Tanaka
Senior EVP & Chief Government Affairs Officer,
NEC
Vicki Thomson
Chief Executive & Director,
Group of Eight
Andrew Hastie
Shadow Minister for Defence
Hirohide Hirai
Vice President & Executive Officer,
Hitachi
Cheng Lei
Journalist
Ronnie C. Chan
Honorary Chair
Hang Lung Properties Limited
Andres Centino
Former Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines
Presidential Assistant for Maritime Concerns
Amanda Lacaze
CEO and MD,
Lynas Rare Earths
Kitamura Shigeru
President & CEO,
Kitamura Economic Security Inc
Former National Security Advisor Government of Japan
Agenda
TIME | SESSION | PRESENTER |
|---|---|---|
7:00am | Registration open | |
8:00am | Opening remarks | Michael Stutchbury, Editor-In-Chief, The Australian Financial Review |
8:10am | Welcoming remarks | Jacinta Allan, Premier of Victoria |
8:15am | Panel | Asia remakes the world Today Asia is not just at the centre of the world, it is remaking it. This scene-setter for the Summit explores the myriad ways Asia is reshaping our future creating new opportunities for development and prosperity. | Kyung-wha Kang, President and CEO, Asia Society |
9:00am | In conversation I How do we prevent a war in Asia? Intensifying geopolitical competition is a defining feature of our times. In Europe and the Middle East, that competition has led to war, leading some to fear Asia is next. But can that scenario be prevented? | Kevin Rudd, Australia’s Ambassador to the United States of America |
9:30am | In conversation I Hong Kong’s economic future Hong Kong has long been one of Asia’s most important economic and financial hubs. But in recent years its centrality seems to have been challenged. What lies ahead for one of Asia’s most vibrant cities? | Paul Chan, Financial Secretary, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region |
10:00am | Morning break | |
10:20am | Keynote | Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs |
10:50am | Panel I Australia-China Relations: What lies beyond stabilisation? The Albanese Government has stabilised the Australia-China relationship, but tensions and strains persist. Is this likely to be the ‘new normal’? What lies ahead for the Australia-China relationship? | Geoff Raby, Former Australian Ambassador to China |
11:30am | Panel | US-China: Coexistence, competition or conflict Strategic competition between China and the United State is likely to be multigenerational yet cooperation persists across multiple policy areas. What is the future of the relationship, and how will this impact on Asian countries? Will the next US administration in any fundamental way alter the currents and contours of this contest? | Neil Thomas, Fellow on Chinese Politics, Centre for China Analysis |
12:10pm | Networking lunch | |
1:00pm | In conversation | Simon Farry, Head of Steel Decarbonisation, Rio Tinto |
1:30pm | Panel I Is Australia punching below its economic weight in Asia? Successive Australian governments have tied our future economic prosperity to Asia. But is Australia achieving its full potential in the region? Are there regulatory or policy obstacles? Is Australian business too risk averse to succeed in Asia? | Vicki Thomson, Chief Executive & Director, Group of Eight |
2:10pm | Panel I Deals and Dollars While much of Australia’s export to trade heads to Asia, two-way investment flows still underperform compared to the rest of the world. What are the opportunities for more mergers, acquisitions and investment between Australia and Asia? How will the return of industrial policy and protectionism, decoupling and technological competition play out in Asia? How will this impact Australia’s efforts to diversify its economic relationships in Asia? | Renae Lattey, Chief Executive Partner, Australia, King & Wood Mallesons |
2:50pm | In conversation | Dr. Ridha D. M. Wirakusumah, CEO, Indonesia Investment Authority |
3:10pm | Afternoon break | |
3:30pm | In conversation I Maritime tensions in Southeast Asia China’s maritime dispute with the Philippines over the Thomas Shoal is a potential flashpoint for conflict in the region. What is the future of that dispute and how has it re-shaped Manila’s strategic relationships, including with Australia? | Andres Centino, Former Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Presidential Assistant for Maritime Concerns |
4:00pm | Panel I Does Australia need a strategic hedge in Asia? AUKUS now largely embodies Australia’s response to what Canberra defines as the most challenging security environment in Asia since World War II. But is such reliance on AUKUS a risk? Should Australia be relying so totally on the alliance at a time when the US is becoming more and more stretched globally? | Sam Roggeveen, Director, International Security Program, Lowy Institute |
4:50pm | In conversation | Andrew Hastie, Shadow Minister for Defence |
5:10pm | Closing remarks and networking drinks |
This event is presented in partnership with the Australian Financial Review, and supported by the Victorian Government.
Platinum partners
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