No images? Click here March 2021First annual State of the United StatesThis month, the United States Studies Centre (USSC) and Perth USAsia Centre launched our inaugural State of the United States report. Fittingly, given the Biden administration’s renewed interest in The Quad, this year’s theme is: An evolving alliance agenda. On 16 March, USSC welcomed guests both in Canberra and Washington DC to join us for a half-day conference featuring Australian Ambassador to the United States Arthur Sinodinos, Chargé d'Affaires Mike Goldman and Secretary of the Department of Defence Greg Moriarty, amongst many other leaders in their field to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the alliance at this time. The relationship between Australia and the United States continues to transform rapidly, building on the long-standing defence alliance and intelligence partnership to now encompass tools of economic statecraft, strategic investments in frontier technologies, health security and a battle for hearts and minds at home and in the region. Designed in consultation with key government stakeholders, our report serves to address four critical questions:
This flagship report was covered by AFR, The Australian, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald and more. If you missed out on the event, a video recording of the conference will be published here. THE FIRST 100 DAYS Day 62President Biden is more than halfway through his first 100 days in office. So far he has:
However, his expansive legislative agenda is undermined by razor-thin margins in the House and Senate. To get the latest analysis on President Biden's first 100 days in office, be sure to visit our First 100 Days hub. EVENTS A conversation with The Washington Post columnist Josh RoganAlmost as soon as he entered office, President Trump brought to a boil the long-simmering rivalry between the United States and China. By the time the COVID-19 pandemic erupted in Wuhan, Trump’s love-hate relationship with Xi had sparked a trade war, while China’s aggression — including foreign-influence operations, human rights abuses, and digital authoritarianism — had pushed the world to the brink of a new Cold War. In his just released book, Chaos Under Heaven: Trump, Xi, and the Battle for the 21st Century, The Washington Post award-winning columnist Josh Rogin details the behind-the-scenes story of the Trump administration’s confrontation with Beijing. Please join us for a discussion on this timely work as well as broader issues in the US-China relationship with Josh Rogin in conversation with Non-Resident Senior Fellows Dr Charles Edel and Dr John Lee. SYDNEY WASHINGTON DC CENTRE NEWS US-Australia Parliamentary Friends eventOn 25 February USSC and the US-Australia Parliamentary Friendship Group co-hosted an event at Parliament House to discuss Indo-Pacific policy under the new Biden administration. The event brought together Washington and Canberra insiders from both sides of the political spectrum to offer their assessment of changes under a Biden administration and how the countries can work together. Speakers included: UNITED STATES
AUSTRALIA
Featured articlesThree USSC experts have had chapters featured in major publications this past month. Ashley Townshend in Indo-Pacific Defense Forum Charles Edel in Rethinking American Grand Strategy Gorana Grgic in East Asia Forum Quarterly Welcome VictoriaVictoria Cooper has joined the USSC team as a Research Administrator. She is currently studying her Masters in Strategic Public Relations and is Editor-in-Chief at the Young Diplomats Society. She brings research experience from her work with the Australian Human Rights Commission. We are pleased to welcome the newest addition to our team. Start of Semester 1Yet again, a record number of students have enrolled in USSC's American Studies courses in Semester 1. With the academic team delivering courses on everything from elections and polling to US foreign and national security policy, it's no wonder that more students than ever are choosing to include a closer look at the United States in their studies. Interns in actionThis semester, USSC is delighted to welcome interns back into the office. Three postgrad students have joined our Foreign Policy & Defence and Communications & Stakeholder Engagement teams this semester. Jules Hobkirk, Sophie May and Lilly Gibson-Dougall are in the office one day a week for Semester 1 supporting the teams with background research, media analysis, publication reviews and stakeholder engagement assistance. They have all hit the ground running with the largest report in USSC history launching this week. Already their efforts are making a significant contribution and we look forward to seeing all they accomplish in the coming weeks. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Webinar replaysUSSC kicked off our 2021 webinars with a fascinating discussion about the key players and policies in the Biden administration. Catch up on the webinar replays through the USSC Live podcast and on YouTube to know who's who for the outgoing and incoming administrations. Here are some of the greatest hits from recent webinars:
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