30. Australian media discourse on China - with James Laurenceson

When Australia talks about China, the China Opportunity and the China Challenge forms part of the discourse. The China Opportunity reflects the enormous economic benefits that Australia already derives from its $184 billion trade relationship with China. The China Challenge reflects the reality that as China has risen in wealth and power, some of its behaviour has conflicted with Australia’s interests. These narratives are grounded in facts and evidence. However, in the last 18 months the discourses of China Threat, China Angst and China Panic – which are less evidence-based – have become more prevalent. James Laurenceson, Deputy Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI) at the University of Technology Sydney, joins host Bob Carr, Director of ACRI, to discuss the key findings of his new ACRI research report, ‘Do the claims stack up? Australia talks China’. The report examines recent Australian media discourse about China and assesses the evidence base for various claims made about China and Chinese influence and interference in Australia.