The Whitlam Institute & Institute for Australian and Chinese Arts and Culture warmly invite you to join the Hon. Kevin Rudd AC, 26th Prime Minister of Australia, as he discusses ideas from his new book, The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict between the US and Xi Jinping's China, in conversation with Professor Jocelyn Chey AM.

Mr Rudd will share his in-depth analysis of Australia’s position in relation to China and the US and offer new ways of thinking about current geo-political crises amid an overwhelming news cycle.

Please join us after for a reception during which Mr Rudd will sign copies of The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict Between the US and Xi Jinping’s China after the event and the book will be available to purchase.

Guests will also be able to enjoy a private viewing of a special art exhibition: A Lyrical Language, by award-winning Chinese Australian artist Wang Lan. The exhibition reflects the creative journey of an artist who grew up in China and later migrated to Australia. The journey is divided into three parts. The first part shows her works created in China; the second part includes the works created during 1991 to 2001, the first ten years of her moving to Australia; and the last part reveals an unified world of mind and nature.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

The Hon. Kevin Rudd AC

The Hon. Kevin Rudd served as Australia's Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010 and then as its Foreign Minister from 2010 to 2012, before returning as Prime Minister in 2013. He is the global President and Chief Executive of the Asia Society in New York and has been President of the Asia Society Policy Institute since 2015. Mr Rudd graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Asian Studies) with first-class honours from the Australian National University and is fluent in Mandarin. He also studied at the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei and the University of Oxford where he graduated as Doctor of Philosophy earlier this year.

Professor Jocelyn Chey AM

Professor Jocelyn Chey is Visiting Professor at the University of Sydney and Adjunct Professor at Western Sydney University and UTS. She formerly held diplomatic posts in China and Hong Kong. She was awarded an Australia-China Council Medal for contributions to the development of relations between Australia and China in November 2008. She is a Fellow of the Institute of International Affairs and was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) in 2009 for her community service and contribution to the development of relations with China.