The Changing World Order? Gareth Evans on Australia and the rise of China

Gareth Evans will be in conversation with Professor Nick Bisley at this La Trobe Asia event to reflect on Gareth Evans’ time in office and discuss his thoughts on Australia’s place in Asia and how our region’s future may unfold.

Australia has a vital set of relationships with its Asian neighbours, built on the foundation of shared geography, security interests and mutually beneficial trade. Over recent decades Japan and China have become global powerhouses and India may yet join them. Having strong, beneficial relations with these countries will only become more important.

When Gareth Evans became Foreign Minister in September 1988 he prioritised building a strong relationship between Australia and Asian countries, navigating the troubled relationship with Indonesia, working closely with China and other regional powers in initiating the UN peace plan for Cambodia, and playing key roles in the creation of new regional economic and security policy architecture with APEC and the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Gareth Evans was a member of parliament and Cabinet member throughout the Hawke-Keating years.

Nick Bisley is executive director of La Trobe Asia.

This event is free, but you can register here.