Event reports
No conference on trade relations in the Asia Pacific would be complete without addressing the geostrategic forces shaping this region. KAS Australia and Pacific was privileged to be hosting an important panel discussion on this topic. Titled “Geopolitics in the Asia Pacific: Opportunities, Challenges and Perspectives”, this session brought together the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Singapore, the Hon. Julie Bishop MP and the Hon. Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, political editor David Speers from Sky News as well as a select group of international security experts. Following the ministers’ addresses and moderated by David Speers, Dr. May-Britt Stumbaum, Prof. Dr. Joachim Krause (both from Germany), Prof. Dr. Brahma Chellaney (India) Prof. Gordon Flake (Perth USAsia Centre), Mr Peter Jennings (Australian Strategic Policy Institute) and Mr Paul Kelly from The Australian shared their assessment and geopolitical outlook for the region. Despite identifying clear challenges for the international rules-based order, the panel concluded on an upbeat note, agreeing that the need for increased strategic cooperation between Australia and the EU had never been greater. Minister Bishop's keynote address and perspectives from selected panelists can be found in the attached document.