Prof. Kerry Brown - Australia's Future in Asia

SUMMARY:
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Watching Professor Kerry Brown is a treat — he brings history, wit and hard‑nosed political analysis to a topic all Australians should care about: Australia's future in Asia. Kerry, Executive Director of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney and former head of the Asia Programme at Chatham House, draws on decades inside diplomacy and academia. In this talk he centres on China — its rising economic power, political self‑image and what that means for Australian policy. Using vivid references like the satire The Fat Years and the idea of China as the 'big uncle' of Asia, Kerry explains how China's domestic confidence under Xi Jinping shapes regional behaviour and presents both risks and opportunities. He frames the policy choices: engage and trade, manage security risks, and understand China's domestic drivers. This is essential viewing for policymakers, business leaders and anyone interested in where Australia sits in the Indo‑Pacific. Watch, share and join the conversation — this discussion will help you think differently about Australia's strategic future.

RUMBLE DESCRIPTION:
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Full talk from Professor Kerry Brown — a lively, honest and highly informed look at China and what it means for Australia's place in Asia. Kerry, Executive Director of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney and formerly head of the Asia Programme at Chatham House, speaks from deep experience in diplomacy, think tanks and academia. He worked in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, served as first secretary in Beijing, and has researched and taught across Asia and Europe. That background gives him a rare vantage point on the practical choices Australia faces.

In this presentation Kerry focuses on China as the central pivot of regional dynamics. He draws on cultural touchstones like the novel The Fat Years and the idea of China as the ‘big uncle’ of Asia to explain how Beijing’s self‑image — amplified under Xi Jinping — colours its behaviour abroad. Kerry unpacks the economic rise of China, the domestic confidence that follows, and the policy tensions that creates for Canberra: the need to engage economically, the pressure to manage security risks, and the necessity of understanding Chinese domestic drivers rather than just reacting to headlines.

This talk is essential viewing for Australians interested in geopolitics, trade, foreign policy and regional security. If you want clear, no‑nonsense analysis from someone who has worked both inside government and in the academy, Kerry’s insights will help you make sense of the choices ahead. If you find the talk useful, please like, share and comment — tell us what you think Australia’s best strategy should be as Asia’s balance of power changes.

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