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Nothing is more important to the world than the relationship between the United States and China. 

When it comes to the US relationship with China, what is Trump saying?

What will Congress allow him to do?

Will the new President seek to recruit China to assist with the challenge of North Korea and turbulence in the Middle East?

What perspective will he take on maritime territorial disputes in the South China Sea? Might we move closer to a G2?

Trump has pledged opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Would the partnership survive in a modified form?

These are some of the questions we explored with our panellists as we focused, of course, on what these questions mean for Australia and its relationships with both the US and China.

ACRI Director Professor Bob Carr moderated a discussion with Associate Professor Jingdong Yuan, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney; Tom Switzer, Senior Fellow, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney; and Stephen Halmarick, Chief Economist, Colonial First State Global Asset Management.

Audio of the discussion available below. 

 

About the panellists 

Jingdong Yuan

Associate Professor Yuan specializes in Asia-Pacific security, Chinese defence and foreign policy, and global and regional arms control and non-proliferation issues.

A graduate of the Xi'an Foreign Language University, People's Republic of China (1982), he received his Ph.D. in political science from Queen's University in 1995 and has had research and teaching appointments at Queen's University, York University, the University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia, where he was a recipient of the prestigious Iaazk Killam Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.

He is the co-author of China and India: Cooperation or Conflict? (Boulder and London: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2003) and his publications have appeared in Asian Survey, Contemporary Security Studies, Far Eastern Economic Review, The Hindu, Japan Times, International Herald Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Nonproliferation Review, South China Morning Post, Washington Quarterly, among others.

He is currently working on a book manuscript on post-Cold War Chinese security policy. Prior to joining CISS, Dr. Yuan served as Director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program, and was Associate Professor of International Policy Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, a graduate school of Middlebury College. In July-August 2009, he was a visiting senior research fellow at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore.

Tom Switzer

Tom Switzer is a senior fellow at the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney where he teaches undergraduate courses in US politics, US foreign policy, US-Australia relations and Australian diplomatic history. He is also host of Between the Lines on the ABC’s Radio National.

In 2009 he was a candidate in the Liberal party primary for the federal seat of Bradfield in northern Sydney. In 2008 he was senior adviser to former federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson.

He is former editor of Spectator Australia (2009-14), opinion page editor for The Australian (2001-08), an editorial writer at The Australian Financial Review (1998-2001) and an assistant editor at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC (1995-98).
 
He has contributed articles to the Wall Street Journal (US, Asia and Europe), New York Times (international), Foreign Affairs, The American Interest, The National Interest, National Review, The American Conservative, Far Eastern Economic Review, The Spectator (UK), The Australian, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and Australian Financial Review. He is also a regular guest on Sky News, ABC News 24 and Radio Australia Asia Pacific and has appeared on ABC's 7:30,Lateline, Q&A, The World Today, PM, Late Night Live as well as CNBC Asia/Europe, Bloomberg Television, Al Jazeera (English) and the BBC.
 
He has a Masters in International Relations in 1994 and a Bachelor of Arts in History (First Class Honours) in 1993, both at the University of Sydney.  

Stephen Halmarick

Stephen Halmarick is Head of Economic and Market Research at Colonial First State Global Asset Management, having been appointed to the position in March 2009.

He has over 24 years experience as a financial markets economist, working for companies such as Westpac, SBC Australia, Nomura and, from 1994-2009 for the Salomon Smith Barney Citibank group, where he held the title of Managing Director and Co-Head of Economic and Market Analysis.

As the Head of Economic and Market Research, Stephen works closely with all the investment management teams to ensure a broad understanding of the macro environment impacting on markets.

Stephen is also the key spokesperson to clients and media on all macroeconomic themes and broader financial market issues.

Stephen and his team produce both Economic Research notes and Thought Pieces, designed to inform and guide clients on the key issues impacting the global and Australian economy and financial markets. They also author the Travelling Economist series, providing clients with insights and feedback on developments in key economies around the world, including China, India and Japan to date.

Stephen is widely quoted in the press, including the Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian. He also regularly appears on Sky Business, Bloomberg and CNBC TV.

Stephen holds a degree in Economics from Macquarie University and a graduate diploma from the Securities Institute of Australia. He is also the current Chairman of the Australian Business Economists (ABE) and has been a member of the ABE Executive Committee for over a decade.

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