Since the sustained national effort to build China capability in the 1980s and 1990s, Australia's universities have changed, as has our region. The country needs a new agenda for building a sovereign China knowledge capability of the kind required for our national interests now, and as they evolve into the future.

This report was developed as a resource for those with a stake in the China relationship across the university, government, corporate and community sectors – to consider how Australia can best develop a long-term capability which adapts and adjusts with the changes in both Australia and China over coming decades.

Key findings:

• Australia has distinctive interests in relations with China which require a sovereign China knowledge capability, balancing security, politics, economics, and relationship-building.
• Australia’s universities generate prolific, diverse knowledge about China – this is a success story. However, there are serious questions around our ability to generate core capability for stakeholders: direct knowledge of China, informed by world-class understanding of how China operates, and engaged with Australia’s national interests.
• Stakeholders in government and universities see benefit in a greater degree of national coordination in teaching, research, and the translation of research into government and industry.