The China Straddle – How to shape Australia’s most important trade & geopolitical relationship

Drinks with Philipp Ivanov

Hosted by Dr Marianne Broadbent

Anthony Albanese’s triumphant visit to China this year has put the diplomatic and trade relationship between Australia and China back on track. The remaining trade barriers are lifted, leadership contacts have resumed, and a flow of tourists, students and business visitors in both directions is trending upwards. But beyond trade and diplomatic theatre, Australia and China are competing for influence in the Pacific, busily diversifying their respective energy and commodity supply chains, and watching wearily each other’s strategic and military moves in Asia, their shared region. The shadow of Donald Trump’s increasingly unpredictable America is also never far away from Canberra and Beijing’s thinking about each other. Can Australia and China find a sweet spot between cooperation and competition? What are the prospects and opportunities, limitations and risks for Australia’s most complex relationship?

We are delighted to welcome expert Philipp Ivanov to Melbourne Forum to discuss this high-stakes topic.

Philipp Ivanov is a leading strategist and advisor on geopolitical risk and foreign policy, with two decades of executive experience across government, think tanks and universities in Australia, the United States, China and Russia. He is the Founder and CEO of GRASP (Geopolitical Risks & Strategy Practice), an advisory firm helping companies, governments and universities and their leaders build geopolitical resilience.  A globally recognised expert on China and China-Russia relations, Philipp has been published in the New York Times, Financial Times and the South China Morning Post. Recently, Philipp was Global Chief Programming Officer at Asia Society New York, and CEO of Asia Society Australia. Earlier, he served as a diplomat and China policy officer in the Australian Government. A Fulbright Scholar, Endeavour Executive Fellow and McKinsey Executive Leadership Program alumnus, Philipp has lived and worked in China, United States and Russia, and speaks fluent Chinese and Russian.

Please join Philipp and your fellow members for what will be another fascinating geopolitical conversation.