AFA1 The Big Picture

Book excerpt: ‘We need to determine a foreign policy of our own – one that looks after Australia’s interest in the new order; an order which will have China as its centre of gravity.’ —Paul Keating Australia’s top thinkers on foreign affairs address the most significant foreign affairs dynamics affecting Australia today, including the rise of China and the election of Donald Trump. The world is changing, and so is Australia’s place in it. What do we need to know? What do we need to think about? Paul Keating discusses changes occurring in the United States, Europe and Asia and how Australia should respond. Allan Gyngell looks at the collapse of long-held beliefs underlying Australian foreign policy and the need to prepare for growing uncertainty. George Megalogenis analyses Australia’s changing demographics and the rapid increase in migrants from China and India – a development that comes with both challenges and benefits. Linda Jakobson examines China’s evolving reach and ambitions under Xi Jinping and what this could mean for Australia and the region. The Big Picture is an essential exploration of Australia’s position in the world today. ‘There has never been a more critical time for Australia to contemplate its place in the world. My intention is that Australian Foreign Affairs will serve as a forum for our most adventurous and deepest strategic thinkers to interrogate foreign policy’ —Morry Schwartz, Publisher, Australian Foreign Affairs ‘Australia is increasingly affected by events beyond its borders, especially as global power and wealth shifts towards Asia. The challenges facing Australia and the region are varied and complex, but they are also fascinating. There is a strong need and appetite for a publication that explores these challenges and debates the ways Australia should respond.’—Jonathan Pearlman, Editor, Australian Foreign Affairs