2012 ACYD Summary Report

中文/ChineseDownload 2012 ACYD Summary Report (PDF)

At 40 there are no doubts.

Marking the 40th year of diplomatic relations between Australia and the People’s Republic of China, and in anticipation of the 18th National Peoples Congress, the third annual Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) was held in Beijing and Chengdu, China, from 19 to 24 October 2012.

In 2009, Dr. Stephen Fitzgerald (Australia’s first ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, 1973-76) highlighted the absence of – and a need for – more institutionalised dialogue between Australia and China through both governmental and non-governmental organisations. In 2012, the Hon. Julia Gillard MP, Prime Minister of Australia, stated that “In the Asian century, business as usual is not enough”.

ACYD was founded to address these concerns, and promote frequent and meaningful engagement and more sophisticated cross-cultural understanding among Australian and Chinese youth. Since 2010, ACYD has brought young leaders from Australia and China together with key experts and decision makers to discuss key aspects of the bilateral relationship.

Speakers at ACYD have included HE Ms Frances Adamson, Australian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Justin Yifu Lin, former Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank, and the Hon. Bob Hawke AC, former Prime Minister of Australia.

ACYD seeks to enhance Sino-Australian relations by promoting to forge lasting connections that will benefit both countries in the future. The main objectives of the ACYD are to:

• Facilitate an understanding of Chinese and Australian culture and society;
• Encourage talented youth to take an active interest in Australia-China relations;
• Bring together Australian and Chinese youth from different sectors to create long-term, mutually beneficial relationships; and
• Encourage youth to seek employment opportunities in future business, research, NGO and/or diplomatic roles between Australia and China.

With the respected former Australian diplomat Richard Woolcott AC recently describing the ACYD as “probably more important than the Australian American Leadership Dialogue,” it is safe to say that the ACYD is well on the way to achieving these aims.

Henry Makeham, Founder

Henry Makeham, ACYD Founder May, 2013

2012 Joint Paper

Since it’s inauguration in 2010, the ACYD has released a summary report containing the biographies of all the speakers, delegates and organisers, as well as what went on at the Dialogue. In 2012 the release of the 2011 Summary Report was combined with the ACYD’s submission to the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper, co-authored by the delegates of the 2011 ACYD. The bilingual submission advocated the importance to Australia of developing a cohesive, long-term Austral-Asian narrative for the 21st Century and aimed to assist in identifying some priorities for action toward that end.

Following the success of the ACYD’s submission, the ACYD Executive Team has decided to make the release of a co-authored and bilingual Joint Paper a permanent fixture of the ACYD.

The 2012 ACYD Delegate’s 2012 Joint Paper will be co-authored by the Delegates and address the theme of the ACYD. Issues raised in the paper will also help inform the agenda for the 2013 ACYD. Moreover, it will be disseminated to relevant government and private stakeholders in both Australia and China. The paper will be launched in September 2013 in both Australia and China. Henry Makeham, ACYD Founder March, 2013

ACYD White Paper Submission

中文/ChineseDownload ACYD White Paper Submission (PDF)

On behalf of the 2011 Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) team and delegates, it is my great pleasure and honour to make this submission to the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper through the public consultation process. We hope that the views contained herein help the Australian Government and private sector actors appreciate the importance of developing a cohesive, long-term Austral-Asian narrative for the 21st Century and assist in identifying some priorities for action to- ward that end.

Founded in 2010, the ACYD aims to promote a more sophisticated cross-cultural understanding between young Australian and Chinese from 18-35 years of age by bringing together key emerging leaders from both countries. We believe that frequent and meaningful engagement between young leaders in Australia and China who are interested in furthering Australia-China relations is in the long-term benefit of Australia, China, and the Australia-China relationship. In 2010 the inaugural ACYD was held in Beijing and Shanghai. Then in 2011, the second ACYD was held in Canberra and Sydney. For 2012, the third ACYD is planned for Beijing and Chengdu.

This submission is a collaborative effort by the Australian and Chinese delegates of the 2011 ACYD. It covers a range of issues that we believe need to be prioritised by the Australian Government as it seeks to navigate the Asian Century; a century couched in the context of a rejuvenated People’s Republic of China. Central to it all is the importance of developing a cohesive and compelling ‘Austral-Asian narrative’: a story that we tell about ourselves, defining Australia as a multicultural nation in Asia, comfortable with both our past and our future, and committed to an open, prosperous and sustainable Asia.

The perspectives contained within this document are youth perspectives. They reflect the priorities of the 2011 ACYD delegates and organisers. We hope they provide fresh insights distilled from the forthright and open discussions held throughout the 2011 ACYD. Whilst the views contained herein do not necessarily represent the views of the ACYD Executive Team, our Organising Partners, Major Sponsors or Associate Partners, they do represent the general perspectives of the 2011 ACYD delegate participants.

We hope that this document will not only help guide the Australian Government’s policy-making efforts with respect to realising a prosperous, frank and respectful Australia-China relationship, but also help inform the Australian private sector’s and civil society’s efforts for engaging with China. Moreover, the ACYD hopes that this document demonstrates that the ‘youth’ perspective is an integral constituency that can present valid views on substantive issues concerning the direction of Australia-Asia and more specifically, Australia-China relations.

This submission would not have been possible without the support and input of the 2011 ACYD delegates and ACYD administrative team members.

Henry Makeham, ACYD Founder February, 2012

ACYD Australia-China Youth Perception Poll

ACYD Australia-China Youth Perceptions Poll (PDF)

The Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) Perceptions Poll is designed to gauge young Australians’ attitudes towards a re-emerging China, and to assess what China’s expanding economy and military, cultural and scientific achievements, and increasing regional and international influence mean to young Australians.

Though other more in-depth polls have attempted to gauge Australians’ view of China, this national poll on young Australians’ perceptions towards a rising China is the first of its kind. This survey measures young Australians’ perceptions on the re-emergence of China in six key areas:

• Economic development;
• Society and culture;
• Education;
• Environment;
• Global diplomacy and international relations; and
• Perceptions of China

ACYD intends to conduct the Perceptions Poll in a few years time to again provide first-class data on young Australians’ attitudes towards China and vice versa, to inform the Australian Government’s policy approach to China, and to enhance mutual understanding between the two countries. Henry Makeham, ACYD Founder February, 2012

2011 ACYD Summary Report

2011 ACYD Summary Report (PDF)

The Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) was inaugurated in 2010 by its founding organisations, the Australia-China Youth Association (ACYA) and the China University Media Union (CUMU) to address the absence of formal institutional dialogue between the youth of Australia and China. Two years on, the ACYD has grown from strength to strength. Not only has the ACYD itself improved, but it has proved an influential model for other youth organisations, with 2011 being the inaugural year of the China-Britain Youth Dialogue and the Australia-India Youth Dialogue, attesting to the influence of the founding vision of the Australia-China Youth Dialogue.

We believe that institutionalised dialogue is of paramount importance in preparing youth leaders to effectively engage with their counterparts in what are two very different nations: economically, socially and politically. Managing these differences requires young leaders who have an understanding of each nation and the ability to mutually and constructively engage with one another in pursuit of a stronger, deeper and more beneficial Australia-China relationship. The ACYD Secretariat remains committed to this founding vision: bringing youth leaders together in an environment fostering mutual understanding, respect and future friendships to the benefit of the long-term Australia-China relationship. Henry Makeham, ACYD Founder

February 2012

2010 ACYD Summary Report

2010 ACYD Summary Report (PDF)

The Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) is a joint initiative of the Australia-China Youth Association (ACYA) and the China University Media Union (CUMU). The Dialogue brings the best and brightest youth from Australia and China together with experts from industry, government and academia to debate issues that will shape relations between the two countries in the coming decades.

The Dialogue comes at a pivotal time in the history of the Australia-China relationship: global economic, political and strategic influence is shifting to our region of the world, giving rise to what many have coined “the Asian century”. Now more than ever, a productive relationship between Australia and China based on open dialogue, mutual interest, respect and understanding is in both countries’ interests.

The ACYD team aims for the Dialogue to become an institutionalised, ongoing annual project, split between Beijing and Canberra. We look forward to working with our partner, CUMU, together with our current and future sponsors to make this initiative an even greater success in October 2011. Henry Makeham, ACYD Founder March, 2011