China
Report
Chinese whispers: China’s media influence and pushback in Australia and Asia
The author of this paper argues that Australia has performed better in curtailing the influence of China on media than most countries in East and Southeast Asia. It is suggested that these countries stay alert and work together to forge a cross-nation network in exchange...
Briefing paper
"Reunification" with Taiwan through force would be a Pyrrhic victory for China
Many commentators and officials speculate about Beijing’s plans to compel 'reunification' with Taiwan. This analysis helps clarify what could be at stake for the world, and reaffirms the importance of deterring Beijing from contemplating a military attack on Taiwan.
Report
Western Australia's trade and economic relationship with China
The Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre was recently approached by the Australia China Business Council to evaluate the benefits of Western Australia’s trade, export and investment activity with China to the State’s households. This report outlines the findings.
Report
Chinese coercion, Australian resilience
As bilateral relations stabilise, Australia should work to entrench its position as an indispensable supplier of key commodities to China, argues Richard McGregor in this paper.
Policy report
Frontier influencers: the new face of China’s propaganda
This report explores how the Chinese party-state’s globally focused propaganda and disinformation capabilities are evolving and increasing in sophistication. Concerningly, this emerging approach by the Chinese party-state to influence international discourse on China, including obfuscating its record of human rights violations, is largely flying under...
Policy report
Suppressing the truth and spreading lies
This report explores how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is using a range of influence channels to shape, promote and suppress messages in the Solomon Islands information environment. Through an examination of CCP online influence in the aftermath of the Honiara riots in late 2021...
Report
Assessing the groundwork: surveying the impacts of climate change in China
This report is an initial attempt to survey the literature on the impact that climate change will have on China. It concludes that relatively little attention has been paid to this important topic, which is surprising - given China’s key role in international climate-change debates...
Report
WeChat’s role in Australian democracy: a grassroots view
This study finds that despite drawbacks, the Chinese messaging app, WeChat, plays a vital role in the democratic participation of Chinese-Australians. It argues that the greatest challenge with WeChat remains a lack of regulatory oversight from the Australian government and the platform’s niche role within...
Policy report
Assessing the impact of CCP information operations related to Xinjiang
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is using technology to enforce transnational digital repression and influence unwitting audiences beyond China’s territory. The impact of these operations isn’t widely understood, and the international community has failed to adequately respond to the global challenges posed by the CCP’s...
Policy report
Cultivating friendly forces: the Chinese Communist Party’s influence operations in the Xinjiang diaspora
This report explores community groups and individuals in the Xinjiang diaspora that are linked to the Chinese Communist Party's united front system, as well as the methods and tactics used by that system to activate and guide them.
Report
Stumbling bear, soaring dragon: Russia, China and the geopolitics of global science
This report argues that Western universities need to brace for a geopolitical shock that could dislocate global research networks and dramatically narrow the range of potential collaborative partners.
Report
Turning point? Putin, Xi, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine
At their Beijing summit in February 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin proclaimed a 'friendship without limits.' Yet Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and the Chinese response to it, has exposed the limitations of the Sino–Russian partnership, argues Bobo Lo in this...
Book
China Story yearbook 2021: contradiction
This book offers an accessible take on this complex and contradictory moment in the history of China and of the world.
Briefing paper
Taiwan and the dangerous illogic of deterrence by denial
The author of this paper argues that although there are many compelling reasons to prefer that Taiwan remain democratic and retain its affinity with the West, these outcomes are not so vital as to merit a strategy for which the immediate consequence of failure is...
Report
Shaping the future of small and medium-sized cities: a framework for digital transformation
At present, the digitalisation level of small and medium-sized cities (SMCs) varies greatly in different regions of the world and at different economic levels. This report examines the challenges of digital transformation in SMCs from four viewpoints - society, economy, governance and environment.
Report
Migration and the future of care: supporting older people and care workers
This report analyses the intersection between the older persons’ care sector and migration. The report concludes with recommendations to policy-makers in high-income, rapidly ageing countries that are struggling with these issues.
Report
The digital Silk Road and China’s influence on standard setting
This paper finds that, for the most part, Chinese companies’ leading position in technologies and market share has not translated into more influence at main standard-setting organisations, although it is an important complement to China’s efforts in this regard.
Journal article
The role of vaccines in COVID-19 control strategies in Singapore and China
In this article, we critically review the development and implementation of COVID-19 vaccination in Singapore and China during the pandemic. Methods: We collect and analyze data from a range of sources, including scholarly articles, statistics and documents from national governments in the two countries, and...
Journal article
International students’ motivation to study abroad: an empirical study based on expectancy-value theory and self-determination theory
Push-pull theory, consumer decision-making models and rational choice theory are commonly used to explain international student mobility (ISM). Despite their merits, the individual’s motivation to study abroad is ignored. Based on two motivation theories—expectancy-value theory (EVT) and self-determination theory (SDT), this study examines whether students’...
Report
Revising down the rise of China
The authors of this report argue that China will likely experience a substantial long-term growth slowdown, owing to demographic decline, the limits of capital-intensive growth and a gradual deceleration in productivity growth.
Report
Convergence and divergence: multilateral trade and climate agendas
If the international community wants to make meaningful progress ahead of the 2030 deadline—which critics argue is still too late to avert global catastrophe—major global players should work together to reduce emissions at home and abroad. This paper discusses the politics of climate policy in...
Report
Tweet dreams: looking for evidence of Chinese government influence on Twitter
This research debunks speculation that a major state-backed campaign was deployed to influence political discourse in Australia on social media. The research analysed more than 69,000 tweets, from two low-points in Australia-China relations in 2020, and found no evidence the CCP was using bots to...
Briefing paper
Producing policy-relevant China research and analysis in an era of strategic competition
This brief report explores the challenge of producing policy-relevant China research and analysis. Policy-relevant research is defined as work that drives action, affects decision-making, or both. It’s the kind of research think tanks seek to do, bridging the gap between academia and civil servants who...
Report
From "China shock" to deglobalisation shock: China's WTO accession and US economic engagement 20 years on
This report evaluates some of the widely held assumptions about the implications of China’s reintegration into the world economy; the “China shock” to the US economy; the supposed failure of US economic engagement with China; and the role of the World Trade Organization.
Policy report
Borrowing mouths to speak on Xinjiang
This report explores how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) uses foreign social media influencers to shape and push messages domestically and internationally about Xinjiang that are aligned with its own preferred narratives.