The Australian Institute of International Affairs and the Australia-China Relations Institute jointly held a roundtable discussion with a delegation from the Chinese Association for International Understanding (CAFIU) on 12 September. Involving a range of Australian and Chinese experts, the aim of the roundtable was to facilitate discussion on a variety of issues surrounding the Australia-China relationship, including bilateral relations, people to people exchange between Australia and China, recent economic and social developments in China and also the South China Sea, in order to promote greater understanding and closer cooperation between the two countries.

Participants included:

• The Honourable Bob Carr, former Foreign Minister of Australia, Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI), Professor in International Relations at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
• Qi Xuchun, Vice-Chairman of CPPCC National Committee, Executive Vice-Chairman of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, and Vice-President of CAFIU.
• Ai Ping, Vice-President of CAFIU, Former Vice-Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, Member of CPPCC National Committee
• Robert Lowry, ACT Branch President, AIIA and Visiting Fellow at UNSW ADFA
• Professor Richard Rigby, Executive Director, ANU China Institute
• Professor Jocelyn Chey FAIIA, Councillor AIIA NSW and Director, Australia-China Institute for Arts and Culture, WSU
• Miles Kupa, Vice-President, AIIA ACT Branch
• Marina Tsirbas, Senior Executive Advisor (Policy Engagement), National Security College, ANU
• Jane Golley, Deputy Director, Australian Centre on China in the World, ANU
• Rebecca Fabrizi, Senior Strategic Research Fellow, Australian Centre on China in the World, ANU
• Dr Jian Zhang, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of the School of Humanities & Social Sciences, UNSW Canberra at ADFA
• Cameron Bruce, Policy Officer at DFAT