Lowy Institute

In the Food for Thought series in Canberra, Malcolm Cook, Director of the Lowy Institute’s East Asia program, and Hugh White, a Visiting Fellow at the Institute and head of the ANU’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, debated what the Asian strategic order will look like in 20 to 30 years time and what that will mean for Australia’s strategic policy options.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the evening of 17 March, the Lowy Institute was very pleased to host a lecture by Professor Wang Gungwu entitled 'US and China: Respect and Equality'. The evolving US-China relationship is now the single most important and complicated major power relationship globally and one of immense importance to Australia. As Professor Wang noted, in a world of hierarchies and league tables, the semblance of equality has symbolic value. How can that translate into mutual resOn the evening of 17 March, the Lowy Institute was very pleased to host a lecture by Professor Wang Gungwu entitled 'US and China: Respect and Equality'. The evolving US-China relationship is now the single most important and complicated major power relationship globally and one of immense importance to Australia. As Professor Wang noted, in a world of hierarchies and league tables, the semblance of equality has symbolic value. How can that translate into mutual respect between the United States and China? Professor Wang is one of the world’s leading experts on China and its place in Asia. His speech formed part of the Lowy Institute’s Changing China Series and was supported by the Australia-China Council. pect between the United States and China? Professor Wang is one of the world’s leading experts on China and its place in Asia. His speech formed part of the Lowy Institute’s Changing China Series and was supported by the Australia-China Council.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do China's leaders and political elites view the world? What kind of an international role would they like China to assume? At our Food for Thought on Friday 29 April, the new Director of the Lowy Institute's East Asia Program, Linda Jakobson, discussed these issues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the Lowy Lecture Series on 20 July, a high-level panel, with Sandy Hollway AO, Jack De Groot and Rowan Callick, considered how well Australia's aid program is placed to respond to evolving development challenges. Annmaree O'Keeffe, Research Fellow at the Lowy Institute, chaired the discussion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Based on research including consultations with 180 officials in ten Asia-Pacific countries over the past six years, this careful and balanced assessment of the strengths and limitations of Asia’s rise, notably the rise of China, along with the strengths and weaknesses of the United States and its ongoing leadership position in the region, demonstrates that neither China nor any other power or coalition of powers has either the ability nor the will to challenge US leadership in the Asia-Pacific.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The global context for foreign aid is changing rapidly as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) approach their deadline for cutting extreme poverty by half by 2015. The traditional donor club of OECD countries is handing much of the development leadership role to emerging powers such as Brazil, China, India and Korea. At the Lowy Lecture Series on 23 November 2011, John W. McArthur examined trends in thinking about how future aid programs can be structured.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Lowy Institute was delighted to launch its 2011 Distinguished Speaker Series with a presentation by leading economist, analyst and writer Richard Koo. Drawing on his detailed work on Japan's 'Great Recession', Richard described the lessons Japan's experience holds for the US and world economies, assessed the likely effectiveness of the policy response to date, and gave his views on the prospects for the global economic outlook.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s superannuation system is one of our nation’s great public policy success stories. With more than $1.3 trillion in assets it underpins Australia’s standing as the world’s 4th largest pool of funds under management. While our diverse and well-regulated superannuation system was credited with helping Australia weather the Global Financial Crisis better than other advanced economies, the global nature of investment resulted in members losing a substantial proportion of their retirement savings in the market turmoil. David Whiteley, Chief Executive of Industry Super Network, addressed the question of whether there is a more proactive role the superannuation industry can play in reducing systemic risk through global engagement and co-operation?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'There Goes the Neighbourhood' is a loud and clear wake-up call to Australians: the challenges that will most demand our attention and effort in the decades ahead are international, not domestic. Michael Wesley, Executive Director of the Lowy Institute, argues in his book that the benign and comfortable world that has allowed Australia to be safe and prosperous is vanishing quickly. 'There Goes the Neighbourhood' was launched by the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull at the Lowy Institute on 3 May 2011. Copies can be purchased from all leading book stores.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The future of the Pacific matters deeply to Australia – it is our neighbourhood and our roots run deep. Australia is working with the region to help confront significant challenges, most importantly in security, economic development and climate change. The Australian government is making sure that we are equipped to deliver on these priorities in the Pacific through increased aid and political engagement. At the Lowy Lecture on Wednesday 28 September 2011, Richard Marles, Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, spoke on why the Pacific matters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.