Professor Louise Edwards (University of New South Wales)

Australia’s relationships with the various nations of Asia are complex—the current trade and diplomatic crisis with China shows us the speed at which gains made over years can unravel in a matter of months. This crisis emerged despite more than 30 years of initiatives designed to improve Australia’s knowledge of Asia and reorient our thinking. Australians often struggle to really see, speak or listen to Asia.

The 2020 China in the World Annual lecture asks: How does “Asia” manifest in Australia? How does our current crisis with China reflect deeper problems in Australia’s engagement with Asia and Asian Australians?

Louise Edwards is Scientia Professor of Chinese History at UNSW, Sydney and Honorary Professor at Hong Kong University’s China Studies program. She teaches on China and Asia-Australia relations. Edwards is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Humanities, the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and the Hong Kong Academy of the Humanities.