A conversation with a veteran Australian diplomat, commentator and politician on his prime minister’s recent visit to China.  

Synopsis: Every second Friday of the month, join The Straits Times' associate editor and senior Asia columnist Ravi Velloor, as he distills his experience from four decades of covering the continent.

In this episode, which follows Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Shanghai and Beijing, Ravi hosts the veteran Australian diplomat and Conservative Party politician Dave Sharma.

They discuss the state of Australia’s relations with China that have come under intense strain these past three years, the lessons Canberra drew from its spat with China and the future of the Western alliance in the Indo-Pacific.

They also look at whether Australian consensus over the nuclear submarine deal that is at the core of the Aukus military arrangement with Britain and the United States, has collapsed.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:52 Why this trip was important for stabilising Australia-China ties

6:37 Did the previous Scott Morrison government push too hard against China?

10:52 What the visit means for the future of the Indo-Pacific strategy

12:40 Has consensus on Aukus collapsed in Australia?

16:22 "Quad has pushed China to be more cooperative": Dave Sharma

Produced by: Ravi Velloor ([email protected]), Ernest Luis and Fa’izah Sani

Edited by: Fa’izah Sani

Follow Speaking Of Asia Podcast every second Friday of the month here:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWa7

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWa8

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaX

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Ravi Velloor's columns: https://str.sg/3xRP

Ravi Velloor on X: https://twitter.com/RaviVelloor

Register for Asian Insider newsletter: https://str.sg/stnewsletters

---

Discover more ST podcast channels:

COE Watch: https://str.sg/iTtE

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Special edition series:

True Crimes of Asia (6 eps): https://str.sg/i4Y3 

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

---

Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#STAsianInsider

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.