2013 Australia-China Youth Dialogue: Press Release

Australian and Chinese young leaders are again set to engage in frank and forthright dialogue about shared regional challenges at a key forum in Australia in September.

The fourth annual Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) will bring together 30 exceptional young leaders from both countries over five days to explore issues and trends affecting the two nations’ relationship.

ACYD Founder Henry Makeham said the event would present several sessions each with a panel of experts considering critical issues facing the bilateral relationship, such as Australia and China’s roles in the international climate framework.

“Influential speakers such as The Hon. Kim Beazley, Australian Ambassador to the United States, Professor The Hon Gareth Evans AC QC, Secretary to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Dennis Richardson AO, and Secretary to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Varghese AO are just some of the names that will lead opening address, panel discussions and keynote speeches for delegates to engage in lively discussion on Australia’s economic, security, trade and cultural relationship with China”, Mr Makeham said.

“The 2013 ACYD is an outstanding opportunity for delegates, between the ages of 18-30, selected from hundreds of applicants, to develop more sophisticated understandings of each other’s nations. ACYD’s most valuable asset is its ability to generate real and meaningful dialogue and develop genuine friendships between the young people who will one day be responsible for the ongoing development of the bilateral relationship”.

Mr Makeham said this year’s Dialogue – guided by the theme Asia Dream – follows several highly successful past Dialogues held in both China and Australia.

“For this year’s Dialogue, as a unique activity in partnership with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) International, delegates will visit the ABC Centre and learn about developments in the digital and online space being used to drive engagement with Chinese audiences.”

Natalie Cope, Director of the ACYD said that delegates will receive a fast track introduction on how to create creative and engaging content that can be used to connect with audiences and tell stories in an inspiring fashion.

“Following this session delegates will have the opportunity to produce interesting, engaging and creative user generated content to express themselves”, she said.

The ABC International will shortly release a smartphone App which will provide a unique platform to share this content with audiences in Australia and China.

The 2013 ACYD is presented by the Australia-China Youth Association in partnership with the China University Media Union and the All-China Youth Federation’s ‘Dialogue with the World’ series.

It will be held in Canberra from 24-27 September, and in Melbourne from 27-29 September.

Major sponsors include The Australian National University, Victorian Government, The Australia-China Council (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) and Asialink.

For more information on the ACYD 2013 visit www.acyd.org.au

Contact for media enquiries: Christine.Christmas@acyd.org.au

Australian Centre on China in the World will again be a Major Partner of the Australia-China Youth Dialogue

We are very pleased and proud to announce that the Australian Centre on China in the World will again be a Major Partner of the ACYD. The Australian Centre on China in the World (CIW) is a research institution established to enhance the existing capabilities of The Australian National University (ANU). It aims to be an integrated, world-leading institution for Chinese Studies and the understanding of China, or what has been called 'Greater China' or the 'Chinese Commonwealth' (the People's Republic of China, the Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions, as well as Taiwan and the Chinese diaspora), on a global scale. For more information about the Australian Centre on China in the World, please click here.

Image by Mo Atelier Szeto + Munns Sly Moore Architects.

The Business Spectator is a Media Partner for 2013

The 2013 ACYD is proud to announce that the Business Spectator has joined this year’s Dialogue as a Media Partner. Business Spectator is Australia’s number 1 digital-only premium business product. Founded in 2007 by Alan Kohler, Stephen Bartholomuesz and Robert Gottliebsen, it is now read by around 500,000 Australian professionals, business owners, executives and investors every month, viewing more than 2 million pages. For more information, please see: http://www.businessspectator.com.au/

ACYD Welcomes The Foundation for Australian Studies in China (FASIC) as a Major Partner for 2013

The 2013 ACYD is proud to announce that The Foundation for Australian Studies in China (FASIC) has joined this year's Dialogue as a Major Partner. FASIC is an independent non-profit foundation in Australia established to support Australian Studies Centres located across China and to provide funding and other support to the BHP Billiton Chair of Australian Studies located at Peking University in Beijing, People’s Republic of China. FASIC will support two of this year's ACYD Chinese delegates as our inaugural FASIC Fellows: TAO Lina 陶丽娜 & ZHANG Lei 张磊 For more information, please see www.fasic.org.au/new/

Congratulations to the 2013 ANZ Fellow: Joe Zhao 赵旭

Congratulations to the ACYD's 2013 ANZ Fellow:

ZHAO Xu (Joe) / 赵旭

Joe Zhao has been working for Australia and New Zealand Bank (ANZ) since Sep 2009. He is currently the Director as Head of Large Local Corporate in ANZ Shanghai Branch. Previously, Joe also worked in Corporate Banking for Royal Bank of Scotland for almost 4 years and Standard Chartered Bank for 2 years. The work scope includes large Chinese corporate-orientated marketing, communication and selling commercial bank’s products. In Joe’s client portfolio, a number of clients also have subsidiaries set up and operating in Australia, covering industry across iron & steel, agriculture, shipping, container transportation, renewable energy, automakers, etc. With strong economic tie and collaboration between Australia and China, Joe has assisted more and more Chinese companies explore business opportunities in the Australia market.

Joe Zhao studied in the UK and holds a Master degree in Economics and Finance from University of Warwick, and an undergraduate degree from University of Buckingham. Outside of work, he enjoys swimming and playing golf.

Congratulations to the 2013 ACYD 'ANU CAP Alumni Prize' Recipients: Lennon Chang 張耀中 & Veronica Walker 钱蔚璐

The ACYD congratulates this year’s Australian National University College of Asia in the Pacific Alumni Prize Recipients:

CHANG Yao-chung (Lennon) / 張耀中

Dr Lennon Chang joined the Department of Applied Social Studies at the City University of Hong Kong as a tenure-track Assistant Professor in November 2011. He is also an Associate Investigator at the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security.

He was awarded his PhD by the Australian National University in November 2010. He has a Masters in Criminology and Bachelor in Law degrees from National Taipei University. In 2007 he received an Endeavour Asia Award and in 2009 was selected by Peking University and Griffith Asia Institute to be an Australia-China Emerging Leader. In 2013, Lennon was a Global Emerging Voices Fellow.

From 2005 to 2007, Lennon worked as a researcher and project manager at the Science and Technology Law Centre, Institute for Information Industry, which is recognized as one of the most important think-tanks in Taiwan in the area of legal responses to new technology. Before joining City University of Hong Kong, Lennon worked as a post-doctoral research officer at the Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security at the Australian National University.

Dr Chang is interested in researching crime and governance of cyberspace — cybercrime, cyber terrorism and cyber warfare. He is particularly interested in the regulation and governance of cyberspace in the Asia-Pacific region. His book Cybercrime in the Greater China Region: Regulatory Responses and Crime Prevention (Edward Elgar, 2012) is about the nature and range of responses to cybercrime between China and Taiwan. Dr Chang’s professional interest in China continues and he is currently researching on-line vigilantism in China. He is also undertaking NGO-sponsored research into cybercrime and cyber-deviance among Hong Kong juveniles.

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Veronica WALKER / 钱蔚璐

Veronica is an Advisor in the Australia in the Asian Century Implementation Taskforce at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The cross-agency Taskforce was established to support implementation of the Australian Government’s Australia in the Asian Century White Paper. While working in the Taskforce, Veronica has demonstrated her passion for issues relating to Australia’s engagement with Asia, and her particular interest in the Australia-China relationship. Veronica was seconded to the Taskforce from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

In 2010-11, Veronica spent a year working in Beijing for the Australia China Alumni Association as an Australian Youth Ambassador for Development. In this role, Veronica worked with local staff to build the profile of Australian-educated alumni in China through social and business networking events.

Veronica graduated from the Australian National University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts and Asian Studies (Chinese). As part of her Asian Studies degree, Veronica spent a year studying Mandarin Chinese at the Beijing Language and Culture University. Veronica first started studying Chinese at high school after becoming inspired during a family visit to Jiangsu in 1995.

Veronica is currently completing a Masters of Social Research through the Australian Demographic and Social Research Institute at the Australian National University.

ACYD Enjoys Australia-China Council Grant Success

Australia-China Youth Association (ACYA) Group initiatives – the Australia-China Youth Association (ACYA), Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) and Engaging China Project (ECP) – have been successful in securing grant funding from the Australia-China Council (ACC) to continue their dynamic work fostering meaningful engagement between young people from Australia and China.

ACYA Group would like to thank the ACC Board and the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for recognising our contribution to the Australia-China youth space. ACC’s support will allow ACYA to grow its presence across Australian and Chinese universities, encourage ECP to send more young China Ambassadors into Australian high schools and contribute to the 2013 ACYD, which will bring together 30 outstanding delegates from Australia and China to discuss issues of key importance to the bilateral relationship from 24-29 September in Canberra and Melbourne.

For a full list of successful 2013-14 ACC grant recipients, please visit www.dfat.gov.au/acc/grants/successful-recipients.html.

About ACYA Group

ACYA Group’s mission is to inspire Australians and Chinese to work together in realising their vision of a more prosperous, sustainable and interconnected world in the Asian Century. By providing meaningful and frequent engagement between young Australians and Chinese, empowering motivated young people to successfully implement new initiatives, and engaging established leaders in a range of fields from both countries, ACYA Group promotes greater cooperation and engagement between Australia and China and empowers young people who share our vision.

ACYA Group consists of four initiatives: the Australia-China Youth Association (ACYA);Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD); Australia-China Young Professionals Initiative (ACYPI); and Engaging China Project (ECP). For more information, please visit http://acyd.org.au/acya-group-about/.

About the Australia-China Council

The Australia-China Council (ACC) was established by the Australian Government in 1978 to promote mutual understanding and foster people-to-people relations between Australia and China. The function of the Council is to make recommendations to the Australian Government through the Minister for Foreign Affairs on strengthening the Australia-China relationship in ways that support Australia's foreign and trade policy interests.

For more information, please visit www.dfat.gov.au/acc.

Department of State Development, Business and Innovation offering Hamer Scholarships for language study in China

The Department of State Development, Business and Innovation are offering Hamer Scholarships for intensive language study in China valued at $10,000.

• The scholarships are offered for a minimum of one semester (5-6 months) at selected universities or institutions in China.
• Hamer Scholarship application Rounds:
  • Round 1 - March - April
  • Round 2 - August - September
  • Check website for exact application opening / closing dates.
• The program is open to Victorians who are aged 21 or above who are Australian citizens or permanent residents (Victorians living and working in China may also be considered).
• The scholarships are primarily aimed at Victorians working in the public, private, not-for-profit and creative industries with linkages to China.
• Applicants should demonstrate how the scholarship would significantly benefit their career path, study plan, or their employer’s future engagement with China.
• Scholarship recipients will become business, cultural and educational representatives for Victoria.

For application dates, further information about the scholarships and how to apply, visit: dsdbi.vic.gov.au/hamerscholarships

ACYD Welcomes Asialink as a Major Partner for 2013

Asialink’s mission is to build an Asia capable, deeply Asia-engaged Australia, through innovative programs that build knowledge, skills and partnerships. It delivers high-level forums, international collaborations, and education and cultural programs in Australia and Asia. Its far-reaching work engages the business, philanthropic, media, arts, education, health and community sectors. Asialink is proud to be a major partner of the ACYD.

For more information about Asialink, please see: http://asialink.unimelb.edu.au/

Congratulations to this year's University of Sydney China Studies Centre Fellow! LIU Yun 刘韵

The ACYD congratulates this year’s University of Sydney China Studies Centre Fellow:

LIU Yun / 刘韵

Yun Liu is an incoming student of Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), which is based in Washington, D.C. Yun’s strong interest in international affairs and unique international experiences have been demonstrated through her diverse working experiences in both Australia and China. She previously interned at the Lowy Institute for International Policy, where she assisted in conducting research and preparing international workshops for the East Asian Program. She also worked in the Office of Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sydney as a project assistant, and successfully coordinating and implementing over 15 high-level leadership training programs from Asia-Pacific. Yun has also interned at China Radio International, the most prominent international radio company in China. The internship provided her the opportunity to look at international affairs from a media angle.

Yun graduated from the University of Sydney in April 2013 with a First Class Honours in Bachelor of International and Global Studies, majoring in Government and International Relations, and Economics. During her Honours year, she completed a 19,000-word thesis on Taiwan’s changing economic policymaking towards China Mainland. Her outstanding academic record has brought her many awards, including the 2009 International Merit Scholarship and the 2010 Academic Merit Prize. As a Chinese student in Australia, Yun has devoted herself to promoting cross-cultural exchange in her capacity as the International Student Intern at the University of Sydney Union. In 2012, she was awarded a University of Sydney Union Blue Award for her outstanding contribution to the student community. She is also a finalist of the University of Sydney Graduate Medal.

Yun hopes to work in an international organisation in the future, where she can continue promote mutual understanding and consensus building for China and the rest of the world.

‘Great Hall, University of Sydney’, image courtesy of nextapt via Flickr