23 September 2026

In a year of milestones and anniversaries, today was perhaps the highlight as the USSC convened its fourth annual Sydney International Strategy Forum. As we reflected on 75 years of the ANZUS Treaty, 25 years since 9/11 and five years since the announcement of AUKUS, the conference considered alliances in an age of disorder. The disruption of the Liberation Day tariffs discussed in 2025 pales in comparison to the global upheaval we have seen this year. As USSC CEO Dr Michael Green said in his opening remarks, "In times of turmoil, in times of hardship, we need friends."

America debates the world
The first panel of the day considered how US domestic politics is changing the United States' standing with the world. Dr Janine Davidson, 32nd Under Secretary of the US Navy, noted that, "MAGA is a tagline and a bumper sticker and Trump has owned it but I also think there are underlying things that make people really mad." USSC Chairman and former Australian Ambassador to the United States Arthur Sinodinos said in spite of the turmoil in the United States, he remains an optimist because "the plot always seems to have a lot of twists and then right at the end something happens and things turn the corner and then suddenly... it's not actually as bad as we thought it was."

Are adversaries gaining the initiative?
Admiral John C. Aquilino (Ret’d), former Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command and American Australian Association Visiting Fellow, set the tone for the next panel with a keynote address, outlining the key challenges he was focused on in his time at INDOPACOM: PRC, Russia, Iran, North Korea and violent extremism. Looking at the current US defence strategy, he says, "those are the same [challenges] that I see today." The panel discussion that followed emphasised the significance of the CRINKs (China, Russia, Iran and North Korea). On CRINKs, he said, "We can’t look at just one…one is not as alarming as the integration of all of them."On the PRC challenge, Dr Sheena Chestnut Greitens, Director of the University of Texas’ Asia Policy Program, emphasised that "China’s strategy may be a bit more focused on trying to shape presidential thinking as the key mechanism of change and revolution."

Are alliances and partnerships holding?
The third panel analysed the impacts of these challenges on US relationships. Panellists agreed that strategic advantages remain for strengthening alliances and partnerships. Member of the House of Representatives of Japan Yoshiaki Wada emphasised that, "If Japan, one way or the other, participates or supports Taiwan in case of contingency, the probability of Chinese success is going to go down." The Hon. Randall G. Shriver, former US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, acknowledged the strain on US allies and said, "I think it's incumbent upon the United States to continue to show ourselves as a good partner and an alliance partner where we can help generate mutual benefit alongside our partners in Canberra."

Are we ready for the big shocks?
Following a discussion between former US Deputy Secretary of State Dr Kurt Campbell and Arthur Sinodinos, Dr Lael Brainard, former Director of the National Economic Council and former Vice Chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States, delivered a keynote address. In it, she said, "For allies assessing their strategic options and response it will be important to take into account the likely political shift in the upcoming election even though it will not mean a return to the status quo ante." On grappling with emerging challenges, especially on frontier technology, former Director of the US Defense Innovation Unit Doug Beck said. "From everything from ethics to export controls we're a really long way to moving the speed that we need to."

The Alliance at 75: Does Australia need a Plan B?
In one of the final sessions of the day, USSC hosted the first debate at SISF, moderated by ABC’s Geraldine Doogue AO. Former Secretary of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Varghese AO argued that changes are needed, saying that, "unless you believe that business as usual is more than enough to take us through what are a series of ruptures in our international environment, you'd be looking at least to make adjustments to Plan A." However, former Secretary of the Australian Department of Home Affairs disagreed, saying that Australia's middle power strategy has always been Plan A and the military alliance with the US is actually Plan B. On that, he'd advocate for "a true hard power alliance which has got true institutionalisation and not the fake sentimental romanticised institutionalisation that we put around it."

Does Australia have the right strategic settings to lead in this new era?
Wrapping up the day in a conversation with CEO Mike Green, Deputy Secretary, International and Security of the Australian Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Justin Hayhurst talked about Australia's opportunity to maximise its advantage in working with partners across Asia. He noted that, "we are responding to demand and we are sending demand signals about the need for countries to work together more effectively at this time."

If you were unable to join us today, stay tuned to our YouTube channel where we will publish the recordings and subscribe to our research alerts so you will receive a link to the conference outcomes report when it is published.

Mari Koeck
Director of Engagement and Impact

Lead image: President Joe Biden announces AUKUS from the White House on 15 September 2021, joined virtually by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
(Photo by Kent Nishimura via Getty Images)

"Alliances provide more than security guarantees. They give countries confidence, enable collective action, build resilience and help us meet challenges no nation can address alone."

Australian Ambassador to the United States HE Greg Moriarty AO in video message at SISF 2026 | 23 September 2026

Recent content

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AUKUS isn’t a mistake, it’s a strategic necessity

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Upcoming events

PUBLIC FORUM

What does the China-Russia-North Korea axis mean for the Indo-Pacific?

China, Russia and North Korea have significantly deepened strategic ties in recent years. China and North Korea have played significant roles in enabling Russia to prosecute its war on Ukraine, providing direct and indirect military, technological, economic and diplomatic support. Beyond the Ukraine war, the three countries share a common resistance to the US-led world order, promoting their own diplomatic groupings and alternative vision for a multipolar order.

For some, this represents a deep and enduring ideological and strategic challenge to a fracturing Western-led global order and portends a greater likelihood of conflict in the Indo-Pacific. Others are less convinced that a China-Russia-North Korea axis can or will endure beyond the Ukraine war and argue that assessments of the combined threat are overblown.

How should we understand the deepening relations between China, Russia and North Korea? Where is the emerging authoritarian axis likely to produce collective and bilateral strategic effects in Indo-Pacific region? Is there a divergence of views among countries in the region on the significance of the axis? And how should Australia and its partners respond?

Bringing together leading experts from Australia, India, Singapore and the Philippines, we invite you to join a panel discussion unpacking these big questions facing the region. The panel features Hudson Institute Senior Fellow, Dr Aparna Pande, University of the Philippines Professor Herman Joseph Kraft, National University of Singapore Associate Professor, Dr Ja Ian Chong and United States Studies Centre Director of Foreign Policy and Defence Program, Dr Lavina Lee, in conversation with Foreign Affairs and National Security Correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, Matthew Knott.

DATE AND TIME

29 September 2026
6.00-7.30pm AEST

WHERE

United States Studies Centre, Institute Building (H03), City Road, The University of Sydney NSW 2006

DETAILS

Free but registration is essential

Register

WEBINAR

Can the US and allies loosen China's chokehold on rare earths?

Almost all advanced technology today depends on critical minerals. Rare earths, in particular, are necessary for a range of applications, including powering electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, industrial motors, and defence systems. Yet the supply chain behind them is highly concentrated. China accounts for over 90% of the world’s rare earth refining and permanent magnet production, leaving the global economy exposed to a single point of failure.

Please join us for a discussion on this topic with Dr Naoise McDonagh, MBA Director and Senior Lecturer in Geopolitics and International Business at the School of Business and Law at Edith Cowan University, and author of the upcoming report The Missing Market: Why US and allies’ rare earth derisking needs a demand-side strategy. Dr McDonagh is joined by Genna Lehman, USSC Non-Resident Fellow in Economic Security and Sir Roland Wilson Pat Turner Scholar, and moderated by USSC Director of Economic Security, Hayley Channer.