ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt says the University will offer full institutional support to help set up a new Australia-China Commission, proposed by a major independent study on the future of Australia-China relations.

“ANU would be a natural partner for the Australia-China (or Zhong-Ao) Commission, which would be based on the Australia-US Fulbright Commission and would promote academic, cultural, policy, government, business and community exchanges,” Brian said.

“The Australia-China Commission, to be supported by both governments, was a key recommendation of the Australia-China Joint Economic Report (ACJER), compiled with support from both Beijing and Canberra and handed to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday.

“The Commission fulfils an unmet need in the Australia-China relationship,” Professor Schmidt said at the ACJER launch event in Melbourne.

“The Commission will have the depth and breadth to build, to lead, to develop, to bring together and to consolidate deep, sophisticated bilateral capacity.

“I would like to offer The Australian National University’s full institutional support and backing in carrying the ACJER’s proposal for an Australia-China Commission forward.

“ANU is home to the largest group of China specialists in Australia with more than 50 academics undertaking research on China including several who rank among the very top China specialists in the world.

“ACJER’s proposal for an Australia-China Commission is an outstanding national initiative and one that, as the nation’s university, we are committed to support through our intellectual input and complementary programs.”

Professor Schmidt said ANU already had close ties with key institutions in China, including the China Scholarship Council, the Central Party School, Peking University, Renmin University, Fudan University and Tsinghua University.

The ACJER is a joint report by The Australian National University (ANU) and the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE). It outlined a new vision for bilateral ties and pointed to significant economic and social benefits of stronger engagement and cooperation.

The full report is available on the ANU Press website at press.anu.edu.au.

[Picture by Belinda Pratten]