Professor Shi outlined key geopolitical, economic and technological shifts that are redefining global energy pathways. His address underscored the critical need for an inclusive and multidimensional approach to the energy transition.

This report complements the quantitative analysis, ChAFTA: An Australian assessment of core outcomes a decade on (April 2025), by @j-laurenceson.bsky.social: bit.ly/3RCdbHE

"However, the private sector cannot de-risk billion-dollar investments on hoped-for demand, and defence accounts for only a small share of total critical minerals consumption." - Marina Zhang

"By contrast, the US approach is reactive and framed by national security concerns, offering alliances and security partnerships to counter Chinese economic inducements." - Marina Zhang

"Chinese investment typically comes with fewer political conditions tied to governance or human rights, which many governments in the Global South find attractive" - Marina Zhang

"This is an especially important question for the rest of the world to contemplate as the PRC continues to modernise and expand its nuclear arsenal." - Michael Clarke

"By implication, this could mean that China... may no longer be front and centre of the US’ strategic focus. Of course, one would be ill advised to bank on that possibility. And it is still not clear if the US is prepared to see China assuming dominance in Asia." - Wanning Sun

“So if China didn’t want it, then overnight, pretty much at zero cost, those global markets redirected Australian agricultural output elsewhere.” - @j-laurenceson.bsky.social

UTS:ACRI/BIDA Poll 2025 by @elenacollinson.bsky.social and Paul Burke available: bit.ly/3JUxsIo