This week, ASPI released the report Taking the low road: China’s influence in Australian states and territories ^[1], which maps out the changing nature of China’s engagement with Australian states and territories, local governments, city councils, universities, research organisations and non-government organisations. ASPI Executive Director Peter Jennings is joined by report editor Emeritus Professor John Fitzgerald for a conversation on the report’s findings.

So far, 2022 has been full of strategic challenges. Covid-19 impacts are still being felt globally, tensions remain heightened between Russia and Ukraine, and a recent meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping has some analysts calling their relationship a de facto alliance. ASPI’s Michael Shoebridge speaks to former UK diplomat Arthur Snell about the latest developments, how the international world order is being challenged and why this is an important moment for democracies.

In December last year, the White House released the first US strategy on countering corruption ^[2]. ASPI’s Anastasia Kapetas and Teagan Westendorf discuss the different pillars of the strategy and whether it will be enough to counter corruption globally.