Wenting He speaks on Australia-China Relations at the William Ah Ket Leadership Program 2026
Dr Wenting He with Foreign Minister Penny Wong and participants at the 2026 William Ah Ket Leadership Program.
On 24 February 2026, research team member, Dr Wenting He, delivered a talk on Australia–China relations at the William Ah Ket Leadership Program. The program is dedicated to equipping emerging Chinese-Australian leaders with the skills and expertise needed to contribute to Australian public debate and to become more effective leaders in their respective fields.
Wenting guided participants through how Australia has navigated the economic–security nexus in its relations with China, from the Howard administration to the present. Throughout this period, Australia has sought ways to manage its deep interest in the commercial benefits of economic engagement with China while living with persistent strategic unease. Drawing lessons from the past, Wenting showed how Australia’s interpretation of economic interdependence with China has varied over time - from an opportunity for mutual benefit to a source of vulnerability and insecurity. She argued that, in an increasingly uncertain international environment, it is more important than ever for Australia to chart a strategic path toward peace and prosperity with confidence.
