I am in China for P&I this week, with a group of Australian journalists on a visit sponsored by the Chinese Government and will be very keen to share my impressions when I return.

I last visited two years ago. So much has changed since, it may as well be decades ago, but some things have stayed the same. There are strong connections between China and Australia, strong people links and strong research links, with transnational teams tackling the issues that will define our collective future. Back then, there were 150,000 Chinese students in Australia universities each year, and 1700 research partnerships.

We have an edge when it comes to the relationship with the nation that may well become the most powerful country on earth, because we have built it over years, sometimes in spite of our parliamentary leaders. We continue to work with Chinese colleagues on the most complex issues of our time, and educate the Chinese students who will go on to run their country and other nations, corporations and communities in our region.

In 2025, geopolitics has been turned on its head and China is reasserting itself powerfully on the world stage. It has made very significant gains in recent weeks, with extraordinary scenes at their World War II celebrations, with a carefully curated global power elite alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping. It will be fascinating to see what that seismic power shift is like on the ground.

I cannot help but mention the thin-skinned tantrum from the US president over the questioning of ABC reporter John Lyons last week. Lyons asked about the appropriateness of Donald Trump’s business interests, while in office. Trump asked for his name, said he was damaging Australia and vowed to tell the Australian prime minister all about it. The Official White House “Rapid Response” team later posted “POTUS smacks down a rude foreign Fake News loser” with a “laugh till you cry” emoji on the end. While he taunts Australian journalists, Trump is running a full-scale assault on free speech in the US; see Caitlin Johnstone’s assessment of the mounting crisis today.

The Australian prime minister will be at the United Nations in New York this week. Make sure you have read Robert Macklin on Anthony Albanese’s real hopes for the deal and Ian Dudgeon on the pros and cons of Palestinian recognition, as well as the continuing series of pieces, including from Mike Gilligan, following John Menadue’s call to “diplomatically disengage” from the US.

Joe Camilleri continues his terrific, clear-eyed series on the UN in its 80th year, and debate rages about whether the government’s 62-70% emissions reduction target is enough.

Until next week.