Professor Hugh White from the Australian National University discusses the evolving security landscape in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in light of China's rise as a global power. The conversation explores the implications of the US-China rivalry for Australia, the role of allies, and the necessity of nuclear deterrence in maintaining regional stability. White expresses concern about Australia's reliance on the US and the need for a more self-reliant defense strategy as the geopolitical dynamics shift. The discussion culminates in White's wishes for clearer strategic understanding and cooperation among nations in addressing the challenges posed by China.

Hugh White AO is Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies at the Australian National University. His work focuses primarily on Australian strategic and defence policy, Asia-Pacific security issues, and global strategic affairs especially as they influence Australia and the Asia-Pacific.

He has served as an intelligence analyst with the Office of National Assessments, as a journalist with the Sydney Morning Herald, as a senior adviser on the staffs of Defence Minister Kim Beazley and Prime Minister Bob Hawke, and as a senior official in the Department of Defence, where from 1995 to 2000 he was Deputy Secretary for Strategy and Intelligence, and as the first Director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI).

In the 1970s he studied philosophy at Melbourne and Oxford Universities. He was the principal author of Australia’s 2000 Defence White Paper.

His major publications include Power Shift: Australia’s future between Washington and Beijing, [2010], The China Choice: Why America should share power, [2012], Without America: Australia’s future in the New Asia [2017], and How to defend Australia [2019]

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Australian Security Perspectives

02:14 The Rise of China and Its Implications

05:45 Australia's Strategic Dilemmas

09:28 Military Dynamics in the US-China Rivalry

13:44 The Role of Allies in Regional Security

19:36 China's Global Ambitions and Regional Responses

24:07 Nuclear Deterrence in a Changing Landscape

29:28 Wishes for Future Strategic Clarity

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