Britain’s 2018 “fusion doctrine” was an effort to bring together the elements of national power to enhance the country’s security and strategic interests under the post-Brexit “global Britain”. 

Its architect, Lord Mark Sedwill, is today’s guest. He assesses the key global trends, challenges and crises—Donald Trump’s second administration; Chinese assertiveness; Russia’s war on Ukraine and the unfolding tragedy in Gaza—and talks about what a fusion doctrine might look like for 2025, including the dynamic elements of rapid technology advances and turmoil in international trade.

Mark held the dual roles of national security adviser and cabinet secretary—or the head of the UK civil service—under Prime Ministers Theresa May and Boris Johnson. He’s previously served as UK ambassador to Afghanistan, the NATO senior civilian representative in Afghanistan and the head of the Home Office. He’s now a Member of the UK House of Lords and chair of the think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies.

In this special episode, ASPI's Resident Technical Specialist, Jocelinn Kang, talks through hyperscale cloud and why it’s increasingly important for countries to get their policies right depending on their strategic circumstances. All countries want to protect their citizens’ data and have some sovereign computing capabilities, but what if your data centres are attacked? What if the undersea cables connecting you to the world are cut?

Is there a sweet spot between building at home and outsourcing to the hyperscale firms—the big tech firms such as Microsoft, Google, AWS, Meta and Oracle? What does it mean for a country’s innovation strength and its ability to digitise its state, its society and its economy? These are important questions around the world, but nowhere more than in the Indo-Pacific region. This episode draws on work ASPI has done with support from Microsoft.

Donald Trump’s calculated gamble in bombing Iran’s key nuclear facilities sparked a series of extraordinary outbursts this week from the US administration amid conflicting assessments of the damage that the US strikes did to the regime’s nuclear program. Trump meanwhile was feted in a downright theatrical fashion in the Hague as NATO leaders gathered to agree on defence spending increases.

David Wroe and ASPI executive director Justin Bassi discuss these developments with a view to how policymakers including allied leaders might approach dealing with Trump. When might the best course of action be to roll with his personality and identify opportunities amid the bombast, and when do people with influence, including his own administration, need to steer him away from his personal and political grievances towards good policymaking? 

With a weakened but not defeated Iran considering its next steps, and with questions about the extent to which its nuclear program has been set back, telling Trump straight up that there’s still work to do might avert a future catastrophe.

Please note, this episode was filmed as a video interview and is available on ASPI's Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/sg32zmJKk70

In today’s episode of Stop the World, we hear from Emmanuel Bautista, a retired Philippines general who served as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces in 2013 and 2014 and who spoke at ASPI’s recent defence conference on preparedness and resilience.

General Bautista gives his frank views on the Philippines efforts to stand firm against China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea, the opportunities for deeper defence cooperation between the Philippines and Australia, and the merits of an Asian security pact, which some influential strategists have proposed.

He talks about the Philippines’ own military evolution and the enormous importance of rules to encourage stability in the Indo-Pacific.

As Iran’s government flails in response to Israel’s attacks, and with Donald Trump mulling a two-week window for Tehran to negotiate an end to its nuclear program, speculation is turning to how the dramatic events will reshape Iran’s politics, nearly half a century since the Islamic Republic was created.

Kylie Moore-Gilbert is a Melbourne-based academic, author and political scientist with deep expertise on Iran and the Middle East. In 2018 she was wrongfully arrested by the Iranian regime and went on to spend more than two years in harrowing conditions in Iranian prisons. 

Dr Moore-Gilbert shares her thoughts on the political shifts already taking place; the prospects for a popular uprising; implications of a military-led government; the byzantine nature of Iranian politics and how the various factions might be empowered or diminished by Israel’s attacks; the role of the nuclear program in Iranian politics and society; the widespread dislike for the regime after years of economic stagnation, and social and religious oppression; and her own reflections on the turmoil as someone who suffered at the hands of the brutal regime.

https://www.kyliemooregilbert.com

https://www.awada.com.au

Please note, this episode was filmed as a video interview and is available on ASPI's YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/z3V_t8znuIM

On 4 June, ASPI was pleased to host Hon Dr Billy Joseph MP in Canberra for our 2025 Defence Conference 'Preparedness and Resilience.'

Dr Joseph is Papua New Guinea's Minister for Defence, and the Deputy Party Leader of the Social Democratic Party. 

Following his impactful speech on Pacific security and the Australia-Papua New Guinea relationship, the Minister sat down with David Wroe to discuss the Australia-Papua New Guinea defence treaty and the strategic importance of continuing to grow the relationship 50 years on from Papua New Guinea's independence. They also discuss how the theme of the conference, preparedness and resilience, applies to Papua New Guinea and its economy, as well as those of its Pacific neighbours.

Please note, this episode was filmed as a video interview and is available on ASPI's Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/XvR4P2Ppmok

This week ASPI was delighted to host Dr Kori Schake in Canberra for our 2025 Defence Conference ‘Preparedness and Resilience’.

Kori is a senior fellow and director of foreign and defence policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. She’s held roles in the State Department, the Pentagon and the National Security Council, served as an adviser to the legendary Senator John McCain and written five books with another on the way.

While she was in town, David Wroe sat down with her on the sidelines of the conference to discuss Trump’s foreign policy and whether US relations with the rest of the world will be permanently restructured.

They also discuss the export of MAGA ideology, Pete Hegseth’s speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, US-China relations and the US-Australia alliance.

ASPI this week released our annual Cost of Defence report, which assesses how Australia’s investment in defence matches the strategic challenges the nation faces. 

In this special episode, ASPI’s executive director Justin Bassi runs through some of the key points of the report: how much we need to be spending, how fast, and on which capabilities. The strategic environment in which 2 percent of GDP was normalised as a benchmark is long behind us, Justin says. A “business‑as‑usual approach” is no longer enough.

Find ASPI's latest Cost of Defence report here: https://www.aspi.org.au/report/the-cost-of-defence-aspi-defence-budget-brief-2025-2026/

Many of the brightest minds in artificial intelligence believe models that are smarter than a human in every way will be built within a few years. Whether it turns out to be two years or 10, the changes will be epoch-making. Life will never be the same.

Today’s guest Connor Leahy is one of many AI experts who believe that far from ushering in an era of utopian abundance, superintelligent AI could kill us all. Connor is CEO of the firm Conjecture AI, a prominent advocate for AI safety and the lead author of the AI Compendium, which lays out how rapidly advancing AI could become an existential threat to humanity.

He discusses the Compendium’s thesis, the question of whether AGI will necessarily form its own goals, the risks of so-called autonomous AI agents which are increasingly a focus of the major AI labs, the need to align AI with human values, and the merits of forming a global Manhattan Project to achieve this task. He also talks about the incentives being created by the commercial and geopolitical races to reach AGI and the need for a grassroots movement of ordinary people raising AI risks with their elected representatives.

Control AI report on briefing UK MPs: https://leticiagarciamartinez.substack.com/p/what-we-learned-from-briefing-70

The AI Compendium is available here: https://www.thecompendium.ai/

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen this week initiated a conversation about a security partnership with Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded with a ‘maybe, sort of’.

To talk about this development and much more, we have Nathalie Tocci, director of the Istituto Affari Internazionali, former adviser to two EU presidents and one of the world’s top experts on European foreign and strategic policy. Nathalie gives her thoughts on the link between European and Indo-Pacific security, the China-Russia relationship, the centrality of Ukraine to European security, and the best and worst possibilities for US support to Ukraine under Donald Trump.

Nathalie also outlines her (very useful) theory about ‘thick’ and ‘thin’ norms as foundations for international cooperation, and expands on a wonderful line she wrote recently in the Guardian about what it would take for Europe to pull itself together security-wise.

Wars are easy to start, hard to end and are often launched with political goals that are loftier than the planning and capabilities that are committed. In today’s episode, Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London, talks about the “short war fallacy” and why strategists keep planning for quick victories when long and costly conflicts are demonstrably the norm.

Lawrence discusses Putin’s misjudged invasion of Ukraine, the way forward—and significant obstacles—for Kyiv, Moscow and Washington, other long conflicts around the globe including those in Africa and what Xi Jinping might be thinking about Taiwan.

He explains how mass remains a key factor in warfare, and the ways in which new technology and old realities converge to create layers in modern warfighting. He caps off with some thoughts on nuclear strategy and the recent flareup between India and Pakistan.

You can read Lawrence’s recent Foreign Affairs Article, “The Age of Forever Wars: Why Minister Strategy No Longer Delivers Victory” here:

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/age-forever-wars

And read his substack here: https://substack.com/@lawrencefreedman454213

ASPI’s geospatial analyst Nathan Ruser reveals what he’s found by studying satellite imagery of the recent India-Pakistan clashes over Kashmir, in a special episode of Stop the World. This includes the use of images for disinformation in ways he hasn’t seen before in his years of poring over satellite pictures.

Alongside the military clashes, the Indian and Pakistani governments, and their respective supporters, have been battling in the information domain, a typical pattern that is becoming ever more competitive with new technology, especially generative artificial intelligence.

Nathan’s globally recognised skills as a geospatial analyst are put to full use in this episode that will be useful to anyone interested in South Asia, disinformation, deepfakes, AI and nuclear stability.

Today we speak with China military scholar Elsa B. Kania about China’s military modernisation. How good is the People’s Liberation Army? Where has it progressed? Where is it still deficient? And the big ones: can it match the US and how ready is it to take Taiwan by force if Xi Jinping gives the order?

Much of Elsa’s recent work has focussed on the role of technology in the PLA’s capabilities, doctrine and command structure. She talks about the role of artificial intelligence, the concepts of informatisation and intelligentisation, and the Chinese view of the ethics of automating lethal force. She also talks about China’s military rehearsals around Taiwan, its concept of “peace disease”, and China’s overall strategy with its growing military assertiveness.

Elsa is a PhD candidate in Harvard University's Department of Government, where she’s just recently defended her dissertation, "China's Command Revolution." Her research focuses on China's military strategy, defense innovation, and emerging capabilities. She is an Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Center for a New American Security's Technology and National Security Program, and she was also a Fulbright Specialist and Non-Resident Fellow with the International Cyber Policy Centre at ASPI.

The war that has gripped Sudan for more than two years and cost 150,000 lives is a shifting mosaic of alliances and rivalries, lumped under two main groups. There’s the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Force, led respectively by two men who were once allies but are now locked in a titanic power struggle that has displaced 13 million people and is causing widespread famine.

Today we’re joined by Ahmed Kodouda, a humanitarian policy and operations expert who’s worked with NGOs, governments, and international institutions around the world. He also served as a senior advisor to Sudan’s civilian-led transitional government following the country’s democratic uprising in 2019.

Ahmed explains the complexities of the conflict, the groups involved, the background, the impact on the country’s roughly 50 million people, the influence of outside countries in particular the United Arab Emirates, and the inadequate response of the international community.

Show notes

Foreign Affairs article, “Sudan is unravelling”, by Mai Hassan and Ahmed Kodouda

After Pakistan-based militants murdered more than two dozen Indian tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir, India retaliated by striking nine sites it says housed “terrorist infrastructure”. Pakistan in turn says it shot down several Indian fighter planes.

 In this special snap episode, ASPI Resident Senior Fellow Raji Pillai Rajagopalan gives us her insights on whether the two nuclear armed arch rivals will bring the crisis temperature down and avoid the ultimate nightmare—escalation that goes nuclear.

Mentioned in this episode: 

India and Pakistan must manage escalation after Pahalgam attack, by Raji Rajagopalan: https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/india-and-pakistan-must-manage-escalation-after-pahalgam-attack/

X thread by Nathan Ruser: https://x.com/Nrg8000/status/1920076797498273961

As Australians head to the polls, David Wroe interviews two of the best minds on the intersection of Australian politics and global affairs - the ABC 7.30 program's political editor Laura Tingle and The Age's political and international editor, Peter Hartcher.

As well as their reflections on the substance of the election campaign, the conversation considers the challenges to Australia from the current global geopolitical outlook and whether we are having the right policy debates about how we can and should respond over the long term. Given the security threats we face and the investments being made in defence, including through AUKUS, are politicians having the right conversations with the Australian public to ensure both understanding and support for expansive policy ideas?

This conversation tackles all the big issues, including economic security, defence, Trump, AUKUS and China and, while recorded in the context of this week’s election, it will remain relevant well beyond it as these are challenges that will face the next Australian government and future generations in the years ahead.

Audrey Tang is the unflappable Jedi knight of technology and democracy, who can connect with different political perspectives. Audrey was the inaugural digital minister of Taiwan and is now ambassador-at-large for cyber affairs. She came to prominence first as an open source programmer and hacker, before becoming involved in Taiwan’s successful Sunflower Movement demonstrations of 2014, and then joining the government in 2016 at age 35, making her the youngest minister ever in Taiwan’s cabinet and the world’s first non-binary cabinet minister. 

She holds the world’s attention on issues like countering disinformation and using technology to enhance democracy including by reducing political polarisation.

Audrey talks about Taiwan’s approach to combatting disinformation without top down moderation, countering authoritarianism without becoming authoritarian yourself, the importance of facts and truth, free speech, new models of social media that reduce polarisation, why she went on Laura Loomer’s podcast, and the way authoritarian China has prompted Taiwan’s democratic approach to technology and online information.

The United States-China tit-for-tat tariffs have been escalating faster than the bids at a Sydney house auction in the early 2010s. ‘Trade war’ is the headline. But does Donald Trump have a strategy to decouple, or is he angling for a grand bargain? Either way, Xi Jinping is making it clear that China has a vote (even if its people don’t).

Demetri Sevastopulo, the Financial Times’ US-China correspondent, explains the possible plays behind the numbers, the rival points of leverage in the brewing trade war, the implications for US partners and allies, the competition for influence within the Trump administration, and the latest on TikTok and Taiwan.

Demetri also gives us a real-time analysis of his latest scoop in the FT, revealing the purging of the PLA’s number two general, He Weidong.

Australian AI expert Helen Toner is the Director of Strategy and Foundational Research Grants at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET). She also spent two years on the board of OpenAI, which put her at the centre of the dramatic events in late 2023 when OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was briefly sacked before being reinstated.
David Wroe speaks with Helen about the curve humanity is on towards artificial general intelligence—which will be equal to or better than humans at everything—progress with the new “reasoning” models; the arrival of China’s DeepSeek; the need for regulation; democracy and AI; and the risks of AI. 
They finish by discussing what will life be like if we get AI right and it solves all our problems for us? Will it be great, or boring?

Ukrainian human rights lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk heads the Center for Civil Liberties, which won the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize for its work documenting Russian war crimes. She speaks with Stop the World about her hopes that Vladimir Putin and other powerful Russians can be held accountable for their human rights abuses against Ukrainians.

Oleksandra also talks about Ukraine’s resilience and morale, the need for a just peace, the collapse of the international order, her organisation’s work documenting more than 84,000 Russian war crimes, the need for a new approach to international justice, and why Ukraine is fighting not just for itself but for all of us … and for the future of the free world.

During a two hour phone call this week with US President Donald Trump, Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin did what everyone expected—he raised impossible demands, promised next to nothing, and generally made a mockery of Trump’s patience. 

Australia’s former Ambassador to Russia and Germany Peter Tesch speaks with David Wroe about the dynamic between Trump and Putin, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s perilous place in the middle, Ukraine’s courageous fight for global democracy, the future of European security, the shape of a new world in which major powers carve out spheres of influence, and Australia’s defence investment with the budget and election looming. Peter and David also discuss gaps in their reading habits.

Syria has been front and centre in the news in recent days, with international agencies saying that hundreds and perhaps thousands have been killed – many of them civilians – in the coastal regions of the country.

In today’s podcast, David Wroe speaks to Aaron Zelin, the Gloria and Ken Levy Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, about developments in Syria since the fall of the Assad dynasty in December. They discuss the political and security situation in Syria, including leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and the basis of his power. They consider life for ordinary Syrians, the question of justice for victims of the former regime, how the various factions fit together and Syria’s relations with the region and the world.

Constanze Stelzenmüller, expert on German, European, and trans-Atlantic foreign and security policy and strategy at the Brookings Institution, gives Stop the World her short take on the remarkable sense of urgency that Europe is displaying in building its own security capabilities: “I've never seen anything like this in my life.”

Her longer answer is a superb dissection of the radical reorientation coming out of the Trump administration—what she calls a “Yalta 2.0”; the likelihood that much of the world might have other ideas, leading a frustration of Trump’s instincts; Europe’s shortening patience for the skulduggery of Hungary’s Viktor Orbán; its need to keep the US engaged in Europe’s security; and ultimately the proper sense that Europe has accepted the need to step up to defend Ukraine and itself over the longer term.

Her conclusion: “I think we might all have to sort of buckle our seat belts.”

Julia Ebner is a leading researcher in the area of extremism, radicalisation and conspiracy theories. She’s spent time undercover among incels, anti-vaxxers and neo-nazis, and combines this brave reportage with a deep understanding of politics.

In today’s episode, Julia explains the unsettling trend of kooky and dangerous ideas making their way into the political mainstream, as fringe ideas are repackaged as successful populist weapons. She talks about conspiracy theories such as QAnon, the idea of “identity fusion” which brings together people with a wide range of anti-establishment grievances, the psychology behind conspiracy myths, the anxieties that modern society creates, and the state of US politics.

Finally she talks solutions, promoting four elegant principles of “critical thinking, lateral reading, self awareness and emotional intelligence” — a useful lesson for us all.

Donald Trump has upended US foreign policy—in particular his nation’s role in supporting Ukraine’s self-defence against Russia’s unprovoked invasion, and its traditionally close relationship with its NATO allies in Europe. As a consequence, Europe is scrambling to lift its defence investment and capability with a sense of urgency not seen in the post-War years.

The Economist’s Defence Editor Shashank Joshi gives us his expert take on the latest developments, what they mean and where the world is headed from here. Shashank helps us to understand what Trump is trying to do, how Europe sees the threat from Russia in a possible future in which Putin’s aggression is rewarded rather than penalised, and the increasingly positive signs of strong European leadership to take up the role defending a liberal international order. Finally he gives his view on what it all means for Australia and the Indo-Pacific.

2025 is a pivotal year for international cyber governance. Not only is it the tenth anniversary of the international community’s agreement to a global framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, but it is also the year that the UN Open-Ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies will conclude its mandate. This sets the stage for the establishment of a more permanent mechanism for global cyber discussions.

To discuss these developments and reflect on how states around the world have interpreted and operationalised responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, ASPI’s Gatra Priyandita speaks with two leading cyber experts, Farlina Said from the Institute of Strategic and International Studies in Malaysia, and Louise Marie Hurel, from the Royal United Services Institute in London. 

Today on Stop the World, the conversation on Ukraine continues, with ASPI’s Alex Bristow speaking to Jakub Zajączkowski and Saroj Kumar Aryal from the University of Warsaw. They discuss the EU and US approaches to peace in Ukraine, the security guarantees Ukraine needs, and the links between the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic, including through NATO and the Indo-Pacific Four.

They discuss Poland’s increased interest in the Indo-Pacific, the value of minilaterals such as the Quad, and India’s relationships with Russia, Europe and Quad countries.

Guests:  

Alex Bristow  

Jakub Zajączkowski 

Saroj Kumar Aryal

In this special episode of Stop the World, ASPI’s David Wroe speaks with Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, on the morning after US and Russian representatives met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Ambassador responds to the blizzard of recent developments affecting the prospect of a peace agreement to end Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against its democratic neighbour as we approach the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion. He talks about signs of a turning point in the world order, Ukraine’s hopes of joining NATO, recent remarks from the Trump administration, a security guarantee for the Ukrainian people, and the grim future the world faces if aggression is allowed to go unchecked.

Guests:

David Wroe

Vasyl Myroshnychenko

This week on Stop the World, we were pleased to host EU Deputy Director-General for Trade and Economic Security, Maria Martin-Prat. Interviewed by ASPI’s David Wroe, they discuss how the EU is managing economic security, Australia and Lithuania’s experience of economic coercion by China and, of course, the latest developments in tariffs. 

This episode was recorded on 11 February, 2025.

Stop the World is back from its summer hiatus and, with so many major developments already, there’s much ground to cover in 2025.  

This week, ASPI’s Raji Pillai Rajagopalan speaks to Euan Graham and Griffith University’s Ian Hall about the Quad partnership between Australia, India, Japan and the United States. They discuss the significance of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Washington DC just days into the new Trump Administration, and the security role of the grouping in the coming years, including how – and whether – the Quad partners are thinking about deterrence.  

Guests:  

Raji Pillai Rajagopalan  
Euan Graham  
Ian Hall  

In this episode of Stop the World, ASPI’s Executive Director Justin Bassi speaks with Australia’s National Cyber Security Coordinator Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness CSC to discuss her role and how it helps protect Australians online.  

LTGEN McGuinness explores the dual role that the National Office of Cyber Security plays in preparing for and responding to increasing cyber incidents, the importance of building resilience to respond efficiently and effectively to them, and how preventative measures such as using multi-factor authentication can mitigate over 80 percent of cyber risks.  

Justin and LTGEN McGuinness also discuss the role that attribution plays in deterring malicious cyber activity and how attribution can improve mitigation strategies, drive norms and establish that Australia does not tolerate unacceptable behaviour in cyberspace.  

Guests: 

Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness - https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are/our-senior-staff/lieutenant-general-michelle-mcguinness-csc 

Justin Bassi - https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/justin-bassi 

In the latest episode of Stop the World, ASPI’s Executive Director Justin Bassi is joined by Netherlands Ambassador to NATO Thijs van der Plas, Norway’s Ambassador to NATO Anita Nergaard and the US Chargé d'affaires to NATO Scott M. Oudkirk. 

Since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO has undergone a strategic shift with increased collective defence spending and the expansion of the alliance to include Finland and Sweden. This conversation explores NATO’s recent evolution and how Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine contributed to it. 

Justin, Thijs, Anita and Scott also discuss the current state of the war in Ukraine and whether the conflict is headed towards a stalemate, or if there is a credible path towards a Ukrainian victory. They also talk about China’s role in enabling the Russian war effort, the introduction of North Korean troops into the conflict and how to deter Russia’s increasing hybrid warfare. 

Finally, they explore NATO’s relationship with the Indo-Pacific, including its ties with the Indo-Pacific Four countries – Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand – and they discuss the indivisibility of Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security. 

Guests: 

Thijs van der Plas - https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/who_is_who_198155.htm 

Anita Nergaard - https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/who_is_who_207083.htm 

Scott M. Oudkirk - https://nato.usmission.gov/dcm-scott-oudkirk/ 

In the latest episode of Stop the World, David Wroe speaks to Kevin Yam and Ted Hui, two of Australia’s most prominent exiled Hong Kong democracy activists. 

Kevin is a research fellow at the University of Melbourne Law School and a commentator on China and Hong Kong. Ted Hui is a lawyer who was previously a member of Hong Kong's legislature before he was forced to leave in 2020.  

David, Kevin and Ted talk about the current state of democracy in Hong Kong and how authorities are applying the sweeping national security law that was imposed on the region by Beijing in 2020. They also discuss the recent mass sentencing of pro-democracy activists under the national security law, including the case of Australian man Gordon Ng who was sentenced to smore than seven years in jail. 

With four Australian judges remaining on Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal, they also discuss whether there is value in foreign judges remaining on the court, or if they are legitimising an authoritarian regime, and examine the Australia-China relationship and the impact it has on Canberra's position on Hong Kong. 

Guests: 

Kevin Yam  

Ted Hui  

Today on Stop the World, David Wroe speaks with Casey Mock and Sasha Fegan from the US-based Center for Humane Technology. The CHT is at the forefront of efforts to ensure technology makes our lives better, and strengthens rather than divides our communities. They also produce the podcast, Your Undivided Attention—one of the world’s most popular forums for deep and serious conversations about the impact of technology on society. David, Casey and Sasha discuss the tragic case of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer, who took his life after forming an intimate attachment to an online chatbot. They also talk about persuasive technologies that influence users at deep emotional and even unconscious levels, disinformation, the increasingly polluted information landscape, deepfakes, the pros and cons of age verification for social media and Australia’s approach to these challenges.

To read ASPI’s latest report, ‘Persuasive technologies in China: Implications for the future of national security’, please visit https://www.aspi.org.au/report/persuasive-technologies-china-implications-future-national-security

Warning: this episode discusses mental health and suicide, which some listeners might find distressing. If you need someone to talk to, help is available through a range of services, including Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36.

Bethany Allen explains her investigation into a British university’s joint venture campus in China and the risks of critical tech collaboration.

Recently an ASPI team led by our head of China investigations and analysis Bethany Allen published a report on a joint venture university campus between Xi’an Jiaotong University in China and Liverpool University in Britain. Their findings raise serious questions about research collaboration into sensitive technologies, including those with military applications. 

In today’s episode, Bethany talks through the findings, including the joint university’s partnerships and close links with entities sanctioned by Britain, the US, the EU and other nations for supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and helping with China’s military modernisation.

She explains the risks that these partnerships create, how widespread they might be, and what more needs to be done by universities themselves by way of due diligence into their partnerships, but also the need for governments to set clearer rules and guidelines about what defines unacceptable risk.

Read the article A British university’s technology entanglements with Russia and China, by Bethany Allen, Danielle Cave and Adam Ziogas.

In this episode of Stop the World, ASPI Senior Analyst Alex Bristow interviews John Spencer, the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point and host of the Urban Warfare Project podcast.   

Alex and John discuss urban warfare in the context of the conflict in Ukraine and Gaza, asymmetric capabilities and the impact of technology on warfare. 

They also talk about the laws of armed conflict and the public debate around Israel and Gaza, as well consider prospects for peace in Ukraine.   

Guests:  

Dr Alex Bristow  
John Spencer  

In the latest video edition of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, ASPI Senior Fellow Dr Robert Glasser speaks to the former President of Kiribati and Chair of the Pacific Elders Voice Anote Tong. 

Anote is one of the Pacific region’s most prominent and respected advocates for action to combat climate change.

Robert and Anote discuss the impact that climate change is having in the Pacific and what action needs to be taken now to limit further climate disruptions. 

They also discuss Australia’s relationship with the Pacific, China’s presence in the region and the opportunities and challenges that great power competition presents for Pacific Island nations.  

Anote was a panellist at The Sydney Dialogue, ASPI’s premier policy summit for critical, emerging and cyber technologies, held on September 2 and 3. This special episode is the sixth is a series of podcasts filmed on the sidelines of the conference.

Speakers:

Anote Tong - https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/anote-tong

Dr Robert Glasser - https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/robert-glasser

In this episode of Stop the World, Justin Bassi speaks to retired General Tom Middendorp – also known as the ‘Climate General’ – about the links between climate change, defence and security. They discuss the impact of climate change on the military and its role in disaster preparedness and response.

With a growing global population meaning a growing demand on natural resources, the conversation also explores how we can adapt and learn to do more with fewer resources. They consider the role that technology and innovation can play in responding to climate change, as well as the importance of supply chain security.

They also discuss the different climate risks in South and Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and how countries like Australia and the Netherlands can work together to support these regions and help address the combined climate and security threats we face.

Guests:

Justin Bassi

General Tom Middendorp

In this episode of Stop the World, ASPI’s Dr Malcolm Davis and Dr Cathy Moloney speak with special guest General Sir Jim Hockenhull, Commander of the United Kingdom’s Strategic Command.

They discuss the global strategic outlook and the importance of partnerships, including AUKUS, and the need for partners to be truly integrated. They explore how artificial intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare are transforming the military domain, and how countries like the UK and Australia can adapt.

They also talk about the UK’s Strategic Defence Review, which is currently under way and due to be released next year. General Hockenhull details the challenges and questions the review aims to address, and the similarities between the UK’s review and Australia’s Defence Strategic Review.

Guests:

Dr Malcolm Davis

Dr Cathy Moloney

General Sir Jim Hockenhull

In the latest edition of the Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, ASPI Analyst Daria Impiombato interviews Japanese politician Arfiya Eri. Arfiya is a Japanese woman of Uyghur and Uzbek heritage. She talks about her experiences in Japanese politics, her experiences online and the importance of diversity in politics.

They discuss Japan’s place in the world as well as identity, diversity and national security. If you want to watch this interview rather than listen, head over to ASPI’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ASPICanberra/videos

To watch Arfiya’s Sydney Dialogue session on demand, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caQskODUU7M

This episode of Stop the World is a deep dive into quantum computing with Dr Pete Shadbolt, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at PsiQuantum, and Alex Capri, Research Fellow at the Hinrich Foundation. 

The conversation provides a breakdown of quantum computing and explores the challenges and profound opportunities that the technology could bring. Alex and Pete discuss how quantum computing can be applied in a practical sense, from biotech to the battlefield, and they examine the potential security implications of the technology and how we can ensure it is used for good.  

They also discuss the importance of encouraging more diversity in the quantum sector, particularly to strengthen supply chain security and resilience. Finally, Pete details what PsiQuantum’s planned quantum computer in Queensland will look like and how it will be built. 

This conversation was recorded in September at The Sydney Dialogue - ASPI’s premier policy summit for critical, emerging and cyber technologies. You can watch the conversation on ASPI’s YouTube channel here. 

In the latest episode of Stop the World, Justin Bassi speaks to Abe Denmark, former senior advisor to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III and now non-resident senior associate with the Asia Program at CSIS. Given their respective roles in the US and Australian governments to establish AUKUS, Abe and Justin discuss the need for the partnership and how it came together. They also outline what the three countries now need to do to make it work to deliver greater regional stability and security, as well as opportunities for broader collaboration with trusted partners.

Beyond AUKUS, they also discuss the global strategic outlook, and the challenges the US and its partners are grappling with – conflict in the Middle East and Europe, and an increasingly assertive China in the Indo-Pacific – and its strategy in managing multiple crises at once.

Mentioned in this episode:

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australia-needs-to-engage-its-youth-population-around-aukus/  

Guests:

Justin Bassi

Abraham M. Denmark

It’s a double episode week on Stop the World, and today we bring you a conversation with Jennifer Bachus, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy at the US Department of State. ASPI’s Bart Hogeveen speaks to Jennifer about cyber security and tech diplomacy, and how the US Government is working to improve cyber resilience at home and supporting partners globally to do the same.  

They discuss threats such as ransomware and cybercrimes and recent developments including the draft UN convention against cybercrime, and the US-led global Counter Ransomware Initiative. Bart asks Jennifer how the US government is adapting to a constantly evolving tech landscape and changing threat environment countries are facing in the cyber domain.  

Mentioned in this episode:  

Draft UN convention against cybercrime 

Counter Ransomware Initiative  

One Bullet Away, by Nathaniel Fick 

Chip War, by Chris Miller 

Guests:  

Bart Hogeveen 
Jennifer Bachus 

In the latest video edition of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, Bethany Allen, Head of China Investigations and Analysis at ASPI, speaks with Her Excellency Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Political-Security Community.

They discuss Dato’s career path and how her time as a diplomat within Malaysia’s foreign ministry led to her current role with ASEAN. They also explore the role of ASEAN and the value that it brings to the region – not just economic value but also in building relationships.

With growing tensions in the South China Sea, Bethany and Dato' discuss how ASEAN can contribute to greater stability in the Indo-Pacific. They also talk about how ASEAN nations are working to address the rise of disruptive technologies, particularly artificial intelligence.

Dato and Bethany were both panellists at The Sydney Dialogue, ASPI’s premier policy summit for critical, emerging and cyber technologies, held on September 2 and 3. This special episode is the fourth in a series of podcasts filmed on the sidelines of the conference, which will be released in the coming weeks.

Speakers:

Her Excellency Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz

Bethany Allen

In the third video edition of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, Jason Healey, Senior Research Scholar at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, sits down with Admiral Michael Rogers (Ret’d), Senior Advisor at Trusted Future, to discuss all things intelligence.

Jason was a founding member of both the Office of the National Cyber Director at the White House and the first cyber command in the world, the Joint Task Force for Computer Network Defense, while Michael is a former Commander of the US Cyber Command and Director of the US National Security Agency.

The conversation explores how Michael’s career began as a surface warfare officer and how he made the transition into the world of intelligence, as well as how signals intelligence has changed over time and whether it will stay the same in the decades ahead.

With Australia no longer having a 10‑year window of strategic warning time ahead of major conflict, they also talk about intelligence and warning. Jason asks Michael how intelligence can provide better warning and whether the job is becoming more difficult as the world becomes more complex.

Jason and Michael were both panellists at The Sydney Dialogue, ASPI’s premier policy summit for critical, emerging and cyber technologies, held on September 2 and 3. This special episode is the third in a series of podcasts filmed on the sidelines of the conference, which will be released in the coming weeks.

Speakers:

Jason Healey – https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/admiral-michael-s-rogers

Admiral Michael Rogers (Ret’d) – https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/jason-healey

Executive director Justin Bassi and resident senior fellow David Wroe discuss issues of the week, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China, US President Donald Trump’s overdue but welcome change of heart on support for Ukraine, and the clashes in Syria that prompted Israel to intervene on behalf of the Druze population and strike Syrian targets including in Damascus.

They talk about risks that Australia becomes once again vulnerable to economic coercion despite lessons from the recent past, and that we send Beijing the signal that we are prioritising short-term economics over security. They discuss their tentative hopes that Trump might hold to his changed position that Russia finally needs to be pressured to come to the peace table. And they unpack their views on the complex flareup in southern Syria during the week that has reportedly left hundreds dead.

In the latest episode of Stop the World, Olivia Nelson sits down with Lisa Sharland, Senior Fellow and Director of the Protecting Civilians and Human Security program at the Stimson Centre. The conversation, which was recorded in July, discusses the United Nations (UN) and how the multilateral system is adapting - or struggling to adapt - to rapid global change. They also discuss the UN’s Summit of the Future which aims to find international consensus on pressing global issues. 

The conversation also covers peacekeeping and Australia’s role in it, the challenges that women face in multilateral settings, and how gender equality and women’s security relates to broader national and international security. Finally, as ASPI celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Women in Defence and Security Network (WDSN), Lisa and Olivia explore the evolving presence and contribution of women in Australia’s national security landscape. 

Speakers: Olivia NelsonLisa Sharland

Mentioned in this episode:

https://www.stimson.org/2022/strengthening-human-rights-translating-multilateral-commitments-into-action/

https://www.stimson.org/2023/host-country-consent-in-un-peacekeeping/

https://www.stimson.org/2024/the-role-of-air-power-in-un-peacekeeping/

In the second video edition of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, ASPI’s Executive Director Justin Bassi sits down with Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže. Justin and Baiba discuss the partnership between the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific, and how democracies can work together to strengthen regional and global stability. They also discuss Russia and China’s “no-limits partnership”, how Beijing is enabling Russia’s war on Ukraine through the provision of technological supplies, and what countries like Australia and Latvia can do to maintain the rules-based international order. Minister Braže was a panellist at The Sydney Dialogue, ASPI’s premier policy summit for critical, emerging and cyber technologies, held on September 2 and 3. This special episode is the second in a series of podcasts filmed on the sidelines of the conference, which will be released in the coming weeks. Check out ASPI’s YouTube channel here to watch the full video

In the first video edition of The Sydney Dialogue Summit Sessions, David Wroe sits down with Connor Leahy, co-founder and CEO of Conjecture AI. David and Connor speak about the catastrophic risks that a powerful but uncontrolled and unaligned artificial superintelligence could pose to humanity, and Conjecture’s approach to safe AI called “cognitive emulation”. They also discuss what it means for an intelligent agent to have goals, and the likelihood that the current dominant AI approach of large language models can continue to be scaled up with more computing power.

Connor was a panellist at ASPI’s Sydney Dialogue cyber and tech conference held on September 2 and 3. This is the first of a series of podcasts filmed on the sidelines of the conference, which will be released in the coming weeks.

Check out ASPI’s YouTube channel here to watch the full video.

The Sydney Dialogue is over, but never fear, we have more TSD content coming your way! This week, ASPI’s David Wroe speaks to Nina Jankowicz, global disinformation expert and author of the books How to Lose the Information War and How to Be a Woman Online.

Nina takes us through the trends she is seeing in disinformation across the globe, and offers an assessment of who does it best, and whether countries like China and Iran are learning from Russia. She also discusses the links between disinformation and political polarisation, and what governments can do to protect the information domain from foreign interference and disinformation.

Finally, Dave asks Nina about her experience being the target of disinformation and online harassment, and the tactics being used against many women in influential roles, including US Vice President Kamala Harris and Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, in attempts to censor and discredit them.

Guests:

David Wroe

Nina Jankowicz