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Professor Greg McCarthy Attends CCTV/ Sky News Debate Show

On 4th of July, China Central Television (CCTV) held a debate on the future of Australia-China relations. The Debate was hosted by CCTV’s anchor Mr. Yang Rui and Sky News Australia’s James Middleton. Hosted in Beijing, the Chinese debating team was represented by Mr. Zhu Bo from the Department of Defense, Professor Zhu Feng, Director of The Center for International Security Cooperation, Executive Director at Nanjing University’s China Center for Collaborative Studies on the South China Sea, Deputy Dean and professor of finance at Shanghai’s Advanced Institute of Finance, and the Founder of Hao Capital. Australia was represented by Gary Smith, Deakin University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and professor of International Relations, The Australian Newspaper’s China correspondent Rowan Callick, also on the panel was John Russel, Managing Director of Beijing Northhead Consulting Firm, and BHP Billiton Chair of Australian Studies at Peking University, Professor Greg McCarthy.


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The first half of the debate was robust, focusing on the South China Sea. China and Australia’s perspective of the tensions in the region were explored. This exchange of views led to a debate on Australia’s relationship with China and the United States of America in general, and especially to the changing nature of the region.  In particular, the focus was on areas where Australia-China-US relations might differ, and how this applied to the role of engagement and participation in the International rules based system to settle claims peacefully (for example, by the Hague Commission on the Law of the Sea), which is advocated by Australia but seen by China as the West interfering in the regional resolution framework.

The second half of the debate shifted to trade relations. The importance of trade in energy was discussed as well as foreign investment into Australia. Technological advancement was identified as an important aspect of Australian exporters engaging with Chinese consumers, and a huge area requiring further development and innovation for the near future to maximise the impact of Australian presence in China.

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This debate was one which gave greater insight into the Chinese perspective into the regional disputes, and encourages further constructive discussion and debate on the challenges and opportunities which lie ahead for Australia and China as nations, and Australians and Chinese as cooperating partners. 

The debate was one of the important public events that BHP Billiton Chair Professor Greg McCarthy attended and was broadcast in both China and Australia, catching extensive attention from social media, academics and ordinary people. More information on the event is available at the following website 


(http://english.cntv.cn/2016/07/05/VIDEOxdlGycKFr2a8zwz9QRV160705.shtml)