Kevin Rudd and Australia-China Relations
Kevin Rudd was Prime Minister of Australia from December 2007 to June 2010 and again from June to September 2013. Rudd is a fluent Chinese speaker who graduated from The Australian National University with majors in Chinese language and Chinese history. Before entering parliament in October 1998, he served as a bureaucrat, including a period as First Secretary (Political Section) of the Australian Embassy in Beijing from 1984 to 1986.
Following his elevation to leader of the opposition in December 2006, Rudd’s knowledge of China began to attract media attention in Australia, China and around the world. He proposed major Australia-China climate change [topic link page] cooperation, declared Asia-literacy [topic link page: China literacy] a ‘national priority’ and, in September 2007, ‘upstaged’ then prime minister John Howard at the Sydney APEC summit by addressing Chinese President Hu Jintao in Chinese. Rudd’s election as prime minister in November 2007 created high hopes for closer Australia–China ties, and the Chinese press fêted him as the first Chinese-speaking leader in the West.
Rudd scheduled a four-day visit to China in April 2008 as part of his first major overseas trip as prime minister. There, in perhaps his best-known foreign policy address, given in Chinese, Rudd urged China to build a ‘harmonious world’ by becoming a ‘responsible stakeholder’ in the global order. While he rejected calls for a boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympics because of problems in Tibet, arguing ‘the Olympics are important for China’s continuing engagement with the world’, Rudd still noted that ‘it is necessary to recognise there are significant human rights problems in Tibet.’
Rudd’s public statement, in China, of political and human rights differences [topic page link] was a notable break with the China policy of the Howard government that concentrated on economic commonalities. Rudd concluded the speech by proposing a new kind of relationship between Australia and China, that of a zhengyou 诤友: ‘A true friend … a partner who sees beyond immediate benefit to the broader and firm basis for continuing, profound and sincere friendship … a true friendship which offers unflinching advice and counsels restraint to engage in principled dialogue about matters of contention.’
Hailed as a masterstroke by some observers and praised in the Chinese press, Rudd’s suggestion of a ‘third way’ in China relations ‘between conflict and kowtow’ was met with doubt in Australia. This speech is still today referred to by Rudd’s critics to portray his ‘mishandling’ of the China relationship, symptomatic of a desire to ‘go around and lecture people’ because of his ‘over-ambitious’ ‘grand visions’ for Australian foreign policy towards China and the wider region. Rudd expanded on the zhengyou idea and on what Geremie Barmé calls New Sinology in his April 2010 Morrison Lecture at The Australian National University, during which he launched the Australian Centre on China in the World.
Rudd was prime minister during the following year, 2009, called an ‘annus horribilis’ in the Australia–China relationship, and probably the lowest point in mutual sentiment and trust between Australia and China since the 1989 Tiananmen Square Incident or the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1996. A series of incidents led to a virtual freeze in bilateral relations between the two governments: China reacted angrily when Rudd’s Defence White Paper [topic page link] suggested Chinese military modernisation was ‘cause for concern’; Australian Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu [topic page link: Australian in the Chinese justice system] was arrested in Shanghai on bribery and espionage charges after Rio Tinto backed out of a controversial US$19.5 billion deal with Chinese state-owned enterprise Chinalco [topic page link: Stern Hu, Rio Tinto & China]; Australia granted a visa to Uyghur World Congress president Rebiya Kadeer [topic page link] after Chinese diplomats tried to have a documentary about her removed from the Melbourne International Film Festival; and, not a single round of negotiations on the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement [topic page link] took place. ‘Kevin Rudd The China Expert’ came under immense criticism in the press and in parliament for his ‘dysfunctional diplomacy’. Eventually, in October 2009, then vice-premier Li Keqiang was despatched to Australia to negotiate an unusual ‘Australia–China Joint Statement’ affirming mutual commitment to improving ties.
Following his removal as prime minister in June 2010, Rudd served as minister for foreign affairs from September 2010 to February 2012. During this time, he was an advocate for an expanded and diversified Australia–China economic relationship and vigorously defended the Gillard government’s decision to allow US marines to rotate through Darwin as part of US President Barack Obama’s ‘Pivot to Asia’ [topic link page].
Rudd’s personal connection with China was often in the media spotlight, such as his friendship with Chinese businessman and Australian Labor Party (ALP) donor Ian Tang and support for China’s greater role in international affairs. Political opponents and pundits attacked Rudd as a ‘Manchurian candidate’, a ‘panda hugger’ and a ‘roving ambassador for the People’s Republic’. Media commentators alleged that ‘fear in the prime minister’s office that his relationship with Beijing could turn into a liability’ prompted Rudd to keep visits to Australia by Chinese officials secret and request the BBC to not sit him next to then Chinese Ambassador Fu Ying 傅莹 during a UK television interview.
But ‘pro-China’ perceptions might have been at odds with the China message Rudd was conveying to Australian allies. WikiLeaks revealed in December 2010 that, in a private meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rudd had described himself as a ‘brutal realist on China’ and recommended Clinton prepare ‘to deploy force if everything goes wrong’ with China’s rise. Rudd also said similar thinking was behind his (abandoned) plan for an ‘Asia-Pacific Community’ that would tie Chinese foreign policy to a rules-based institution that included the US. This followed revelations Rudd branded the Chinese delegation to the 2009 Copenhagen Conference as ‘fuckers … trying to ratfuck us’. By the end of his tenure as foreign minister, several China-watchers and Chinese academics claimed that Rudd had a ‘largely negative impact’ upon and ‘cast a shadow’ over bilateral relations due to his ‘harsh criticism’.
After losing a leadership challenge and withdrawing to the government backbenches in February 2012, Rudd produced a series of foreign policy speeches and articles that argued for a recalibration of the Asian regional order to reflect the rise of China: a balanced ‘Pax Pacifica’ based on ‘common interests regarding the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region’, an accord ‘which is neither a new Pax Americana … nor a Pax Sinica’.
Regaining the prime ministership in June 2013, Rudd proclaimed the ‘China resources boom is over’ [topic page link: economic relations] and personally reprioritised negotiations for a comprehensive Australia–China FTA with new Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as endorsing Gillard’s Australia in the Asian Century White Paper [topic page link].
Following his defeat by Tony Abbott [topic page link] at the September 2013 election, Rudd accepted a position as a senior fellow at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government to head a major research study on US–China strategic relations. Rudd’s report, U.S.-China 21, The Future of U.S.-China Relations Under Xi Jinping: Toward a New Framework of Constructive Realism for a Common Purpose, was released in April 2015. In early 2015, Rudd became the inaugural President of the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York.
Links
- East Asia Forum, ‘Asia Pacific Community’.
- Kevin Rudd’s personal website.
- Kevin Rudd on Weibo.
- National Archives of Australia, Australia’s Prime Ministers, Kevin Rudd.
April 2007
- ABC, ‘Asian Language Studies Crucial, Says Rudd’, ABC News, 18 April 2007.
- Hamish McDonald and Mary-Anne Toy, ‘Rudd’s Long March to Asia’s Heart’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 28 April 2007.
August 2007
- CCTV, ‘Kevin Rudd, Leader of Australian Labor Party & Prime Ministerial Candidate’, CCTV English, 11 August 2007.
September 2007
- AAP, ‘Rudd Hu Woo Pays Off, The Age, 7 September 2007.
- Mark Davis, ‘Linguist Rudd Shows How to Talk to Hu Here’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 September 2007.
December 2007
- Jennifer Chou, ‘Kevin Rudd, aka Lu Kewen’, The Weekly Standard, 3 December 2007.
- Editorial, ‘A Man of Reason and Foresight Takes the Reins’, China Daily, 4 December 2007.
February 2008
- Sandra O’Malley, ‘China, Australia Hold Strategic Meeting’, The Age, 5 February 2008.
- ‘Australia must give China aid’, The Australian, 18 February 2008.
March 2008
- Katherine Murphy, ‘Rudd’s Chinese ‘Sponsor’ Attracts Scrutiny’, The Age, 19 March 2008.
- Brad Norington and John Lyons, ‘Stanley Ho Ian Tang’, The Australian, 20 March 2008.
- Ben Worsley, PM Dogged by Questions over China Scandal’, Lateline, 20 March 2008.
- Bernard Keane, ‘Rudd Should Rethink AustChina’s Friendship’, Crikey, 20 March 2008.
- Kenichi Ohmae, ‘No Reason for Rudd to Take Japan Out of the Equation’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 March 2008.
- Phillip Coorey, ‘Rudd Cops Flak for Ignoring Japan, Vows Two Visits’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 March 2008.
- Dennis Atkins, ‘Rudd’s China Syndrome’, The Courier Mail, 21 March 2008.
- John Lyons, ‘Rudd and Tang ‘Just Very Friendly’’, The Australian, 26 March 2008.
April 2008
- Phillip Coorey, ‘China Media Stampede for Mandarin-Speaking PM’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 April 2008.
- Mary-Anne Toy, ‘Chinese Balancing Act Tricky’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 7 April 2008.
- Phillip Coorey, ‘Back Off, China Tells Rudd on Eve of Visit’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 April 2008.
- Christopher Bodeen, ‘Australia’s Rudd Arrives in China’, USA Today, 9 April 2008.
- AAP, ‘Rudd Arrives in Beijing Amid Tibet Row’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 April 2008.
- Kevin Rudd, ‘Beijing University Speech by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’, The Australian, 9 April 2008.
- AAP, ‘Rudd Voices Concerns on Tibet’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 April 2008.
- Xinhua, ‘Australian PM Rejects Olympics Boycott, Calls for Sincere Friendship with China’, Xinhua Net, 9 April 2008.
- Rachael Brown, ‘Chinese Activist Puts Hope in Rudd’, PM, 9 April 2008.
- Phillip Coorey, ‘Rudd Welcomed to Great Hall’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 April 2008.
- Phillip Coorey, ‘I’m Saying it in Plain Mandarin: Fix Tibet’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 April 2008.
- Michelle Grattan and Mary-Anne Toy, ‘Rudd Confronts China on Human Rights’, The Age, 10 April 2008.
- John Garnaut, ‘Banter Eases Human Rights into the Frame’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 April 2008.
- Stephen McDonell, ‘China Sprays Rudd Over Tibet Human Rights Claims’, ABC News, 10 April 2008.
- Leigh Sales, ‘China Experts Paul Monk and Geremie Barmé Analyse the China Situation’, Lateline, 10 April 2008.
- Misha Schubert, ‘Senior Lib Urges Beijing Boycott’, The Age, 10 April 2008.
- Phillip Coorey, ‘How Zhengyou Kevin is Keeping Everyone Happy’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 11 April 2008.
- Phillip Coorey, ‘China Spurns Rudd’s Call’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 11 April 2008.
- Mary-Anne Toy and Michelle Grattan, ‘Red Carpet and a Rebuke for Rudd’, The Age, 11 April 2008.
- Phillip Coorey and Deborah Snow, ‘No Foreign Guards When the Torch Comes to Canberra’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 11 April 2008.
- John Garnaut, ‘Positive Glow for Rudd, But No Mention of Tibet’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 11 April 2008.
- Jiao Xiaoyang and Zhang Haizhou, ‘Rudd Highlights Shared Wishes’, China Daily, 11 April 2008.
- Geremie Barmé, ‘Rudd Rewrites the Rules of Engagement’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 12 April 2008.
- Rowan Callick, ‘Friend on Message’, The Australian, 12 April 2008.
June 2008
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘Toward an Asia-Pacific Union’, Speech at the Asia Society, Sydney, 4 June 2008.
- Matthew Franklin, ‘Kevin Rudd to Drive Asian Union’, The Australian, 5 June 2008.
- Tim Colebatch, ‘Rudd’s Grand Vision for Asia-Pacific’, The Age, 5 June 2008.
- Andrew Shearer, ‘Rudd’s Asia agenda’, The Wall Street Journal, 10 June 2008.
- Asia.view, ‘The Manchurian Candidate’, The Economist, 11 June 2008.
- Peter Drysdale, ‘The Economist on Rudd’, East Asia Forum, 12 June 2008.
August 2008
- John Garnaut, ‘China is Story of this Century, Declares Rudd’, The Age, 13 August 2008.
September 2008
- Graeme Dobell, ‘Rudd’s Asia: Truth and politics’, The Interpreter, 12 September 2008.
November 2008
- Greg Sheridan, ‘No Pandering to China in PM’s Asian Plan’, The Australian, 6 November 2008.
- Robert Manne, ‘What is Rudd’s Agenda?’, The Monthly, No. 40, November 2008.
February 2009
- Alexandra Smith, Stephanie Peatling and Hamish McDonald, ‘Hey, Big Spender: The Gambling Tycoon Who’s Betting on Labor’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 3 February 2009.
March 2009
- Xinhua, ‘Senior CPC Official Meets Australian PM, Visits Cultural Facilities’, Xinhua Net, 21 March 2009.
- Matthew Franklin and David Uren, ‘Rudd to Lobby for Beijing’, The Australian, 23 March 2009.
- Christian Kerr, ‘The Manchurian Candidate’, House Rules Blog, Herald Sun, 23 March 2009.
- Cameron Stewart and Michael Sainsbury, ‘PM Kevin Rudd Keeps Lodge Talks with Chinese Secret’, The Australian, 24 March 2009.
- John Garnaut, ‘Another Chinese Leader Pays a Quiet Visit’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 March 2009.
- Michelle Grattan, ‘Picture Opportunity PM Didn’t Want’, The Age, 31 March 2009.
- John Garnaut, Phillip Coorey and Jonathan Pearlman, ‘Oh, Those Generals, Minister’s Rendezvous with Top Brass’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 31 March 2009.
- Gerard Henderson, ‘No Place for Chinese Whispers’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 31 March 2009.
April 2009
- Michelle Grattan, ‘Ugly Politics Over China Could Cause Damage at Home and Abroad’, The Age, 1 April 2009.
- Kim Beazley, ‘Manchurian Candidates and Learner Drivers’, The Age, 1 April 2009.
- Peter Hartcher and John Garnaut, ‘PM’s Two-Step’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 April 2009.
- Nick Bryant, ‘The China Syndrome’, BBC News, 6 April 2009.
- Banyan, ‘Australia’s Chinese Entanglement’, The Economist, 30 April 2009.
May 2009
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘Keynote Address’, Shangri-La Dialogue, Singapore, 29 May 2009.
- Graeme Dobell, ‘Asia Community: Rudd Moves On’, The Interpreter, 31 May 2009.
July 2009
- Deborah Snow, Nic Chirstensen and John Garnaut, ‘Chinese bilionaire funding our MPs’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 July 2009.
- John Garnaut, Deborah Snow and Nic Christensen, ‘Behind the mysterious Dr Chau’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 July 2009.
- Nic Christensen and Deborah Snow, ‘Chinese money trail unravels’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 July 2009.
- BBC, ‘Australia Warns China on Spy Case’, BBC News, 15 July 2009.
- Jia Qingguo, ‘Realizing the Asia Pacific Community: Geographic, Institutional and Leadership Challenges’, East Asia Forum, 28 July 2009.
August 2009
- Greg Sheridan and Michael Sainsbury, ‘Beijing Bites Back Over Kadeer Visa and Iron Ore Prices’, The Australian, 18 August 2009.
- Michael Wines, ‘Tension increases as China and Australia grow closer’, The New York Times, 21 August 2009.
- Peter Hartcher, ‘In this Chinese fable the chicken upsets the fox in his lair’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 22 August 2009.
- Laurie Oakes, ‘Rudd Won’t Listen to the Bullies’, The Daily Telegraph, 22 August 2009.
- Piers Akerman, ‘So Much for Rudd’s Rapport with China’, The Telegraph, 22 August 2009.
- AAP, ‘‘Mutual Orgasm’: The China Affair Burnt in PM’s Memory’, WA Today, 28 August 2009.
October 2009
- Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, ‘Australia-China Joint Statement’, 30 October 2009.
November 2009
- Xinhua, ‘Joint Statement by China, Australia to Serve as Guideline for Future Relationship: Senior Diplomat’, People’s Daily Online, 1 November 2009.
- Graeme Dobell, ‘China Declares Diplomatic Ceasefire’, The Interpreter, 2 November 2009.
- John Garnaut, ‘Important doors open for Bishop’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 November 2009.
December 2009
- Peter Drysdale, ‘Special Editorial – What Prime Minister Rudd’s Asia Pacific Community Conference Delivered’, East Asia Forum, 7 December 2009.
- Rowan Callick, ‘PM Kevin Rudd Backs ANU’s China Centre’, The Australian, 29 December 2009.
- Hugh White, ‘Rudd’s China policy’, The Monthly, December 2009.
January 2010
- Rowan Callick, ‘Dysfunctional Diplomacy’, The Australian, 15 January 2010.
April 2010
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘Australia and China in the World’, 70th George E Morrison Lecture, Australian National University, Canberra, 23 April 2010.
- Graeme Dobell, ‘Dark China Days’, The Interpreter, 27 April 2010.
- Graeme Dobell, ‘Rudd to ASEAN: You Win’, The Interpreter, 28 April 2010.
- Graeme Dobell, ‘Lu Kewen’s Go-To Palace’, The Interpreter, 29 April 2010.
May 2010
- Daryl Morini, ‘Whither the Asia-Pacific Community?’, East Asia Forum, 6 May 2010.
- Anthony Fensom, ‘Rudd’s Asia-Pacific Plan Lost at Sea?’, Crikey, 31 May 2010.
June 2010
- Staff, ‘Alleged ‘Rat-F**k’ Outburst Tarnishes Aussie PM Kevin Rudd’s China-Friendly Image’, News.com.au, 7 June 2010.
- Vidya Subrahmaniam, ‘A “Zhengyou” Relationship with China’, The Hindu, 10 June 2010.
- Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Australia, ‘Xi Jinping, Kevin Rudd Call for Boosting China-Australia Ties’, 21 June 2010.
- Rowan Callick, ‘Rudd forges closer ties with China’s vice president Xi Jinping’, The Australian, 21 June 2010.
- Rory Medcalf, ‘Rudd: Bewildering in Asia’, The Interpreter, 25 June 2010.
- Peter Drysdale, ‘Exit Australia’s Kevin Rudd – Special Editorial’, East Asia Forum, 28 June 2010.
- Guo Chunmei, ‘Tweaking Sino-Australian Ties’, China Daily, 30 June 2010.
- David Marr, ‘Power Trip: The Political Journey of Kevin Rudd’, Quarterly Essay, No. 38, June 2010.
July 2010
- Stephen Joske, ‘Bilateral Trade and Kevin Rudd’, Asialink Video, 22 July 2010.
August 2010
- Bernard Lane, ‘Rudd’s ANU China Centre Puts Noses Out of Joint’, The Australian, 11 August 2010.
September 2010
- Graeme Dobell, ‘China: Lessons from the Rudd Era’, The Interpreter, 3 September 2010.
November 2010
- Russell Trood, ‘Kevin Rudd’s Foreign Policy Overshoot’, Quadrant, 1 November 2010.
December 2010
- Paul Maley, ‘Kevin Rudd’s Plan to Contain Beijing’, The Australian, 5 December 2010.
- John Garnaut, ‘The Chinese Have Former PM Pegged’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 December 2010.
- Daniel Flitton, ‘Rudd the butt of WikiLeaks exposé’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 December 2010.
- Rowan Callick, ‘Rudd May Come Unstuck Over China Relations’, The Australian, 7 December 2010.
- Geoffrey Garrett, ‘Rudd’s Chinese Whispers Will Have Been Heard Loud and Clear’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 7 December 2010.
January 2011
- Richard Woolcott, ‘Asia-Pacific Community Could be Rudd’s Golden Legacy’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 January 2011.
March 2011
- Edward McDonald, ‘The ‘中国通’ or the ‘Sinophone’?’, China Heritage Quarterly, No. 25, March 2011/
April 2011
- Editorial, ‘Redefining Australia-China Ties’, Global Times, 22 April 2011.
May 2011
- John Garnaut, ‘Beijing Envoy’s Veiled Dig at Rudd’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 May 2011.
- John Garnaut, ‘Departing Ambassador Flays Rudd’, The Age, 19 May 2011.
- John Garnaut, ‘Ambassador Retains Rudd’s Backing Despite Dig at the Boss’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 May 2011.
- David Morris, ‘Has Kevin Rudd Failed Us On China?’, The Conversation, 20 May 2011.
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘Australia-China 2.0, The Next Stage in Our Economic Partnership’, Speech at the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangdong, 22 May 2011.
- James Laurenceson, ‘Questioning Rudd’s Version of ‘China 2.0’’, The Conversation, 30 May 2011.
June 2011
- Kevin Rudd, ‘Australia’s Foreign Policy Priorities and our Candidature for the UN Security Council’, Speech at the National Press Club, Canberra, 1 June 2011.
- Greg Sheridan, ‘Kevin Rudd’s Grand Vision for China Policy’, The Australian, 6 June 2011.
July 2011
- Geremie Barmé, ‘Australia and China in the World: Whose Literacy?’, CIW 2011 Annual Lecture, Canberra, 15 July 2011.
November 2011
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘40 Years: The Australia-China Relationship’, Speech at the Australia-China Forum, Parliament House, Canberra, 2 November 2011.
- BBC, ‘Kevin Rudd Rejects China Concerns on Australia-US Ties’, BBC News, 18 November 2011.
January 2012
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘The Prospects for Peace in the Pacific: The Future of the Expanded East Asia Summit’, Speech at the Asia Society, New York, 13 January 2012.
February 2012
- Peter Cai, ‘Rudd Return Would Strain China Links, Says Scholar’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 27 February 2012.
March 2012
- Fergus Hanson, ‘Kevin Rudd’s China Legacy’, The Interpreter, 16 March 2012.
- Malcolm Cook, ‘Kevin Rudd’s Asia Pacific Legacy (So Far)’, The Interpreter, 20 March 2012.
- Philip Wen, ‘Rudd Exit Brings Chance to Heal China Rift, Says Director’, The Canberra Times, 22 March 2012.
April 2012
- Liam Cochrane, ‘Kevin Rudd Claims Asia-Pacific Community Success’, ABC Radio Australia, 17 April 2012.
- Luke Henriques-Gomes, ‘Kevin Rudd Calms Weibo Frenzy Over Attack on Chinese International Students’, Meld Magazine, 26 April 2012.
- David Costelo, ‘Rudd’s mark on the international stage’, The Courier-Mail, 27 April 2012.
June 2012
- Geoff Raby, ‘Australia and China Forty Years On’, Meanjin, 4 June 2012.
- Ding Qingfen, ‘China, Australia Expected to Sign FTA Pact’, China Daily, 8 June 2012.
July 2012
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘The West isn’t Ready for the Rise of China’, New Statesman, 11 July 2012.
August 2012
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘Chinese Economic Growth and Implications for the Australia Economy’, Speech at the Africa Down Under Conference, Perth, 30 August 2012.
- Geremie Barmé, ‘Chinese Whispers: Australia’s Manchurian Candidates’, The China Story, 31 August 2012.
- Joe Kelly, ‘Rudd Rises for Abbott Assault’, The Australian, 31 August 2012.
October 2012
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘The Possibilities of a Pax Pacifica for the 21st Century’, Lecture at the University of Oxford China Centre, Oxford, 24 October 2012.
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘We Must Strive to Make Own Luck in Asia’, Australian Financial Review, 29 October 2012.
November 2012
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘The Future of Sino-US Relations: Building a 21st Century Pax Pacifica’, Speech delivered in Chinese at the Beijing Forum, Peking University, Beijing, 4 November 2012.
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘Viewpoint: China and the World’, BBC News, 9 November 2012.
December 2012
- Li Zhihui, ‘West Needs New View on China: Kevin Rudd’, People’s Daily Online, 3 December 2012.
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘The Political, Economic and Foreign Policy Priorities of China’s New Leadership: New Directions for Global and Regional Cooperation’, IISS-Oberoi Lecture, Mumbai, 11 December 2012.
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘The Need for a New US-China Strategic Roadmap’, Speech at the John L. Thornton Center of the Brookings Institution, Washington DC, 17 December 2012.
- Hugh White, ‘Kevin Rudd’s Pax Pacifica’, The Interpreter, 19 December 2012.
- Peter Layton, ‘Reader Riposte: Rudd’s Pax Pacifica’, The Interpreter, 20 December 2012.
January 2013
- Luke Maynard, ‘Reader Riposte: Rudd’s Pax Pacifica’, The Interpreter, 21 January 2013.
April 2013
- Kevin Rudd MP and Robert Rubin, ‘A Conversation with Kevin Rudd’, Council on Foreign Relations, Washington DC, 8 April 2013.
- Bernard Lane and Rowan Callick, ‘Rudd pushes plan to enhance China link’, The Australian, 24 April 2013.
June 2013
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘Solving the China Dilemma, Step by Step’, The Australian, 8 June 2013.
- Michael Fullilove and Alex Oliver, ‘We See China and U.S. as Central to our Future’, Brookings Institution, 24 June 2013.
- Ming Jinwei, ‘Commentary: Returning Australian PM Has Opportunity to Further Deepen China Ties’, Xinhua Net, 27 June 2013.
- Rowan Callick, ‘Global Response Ranges from Comfort to Concern in Beijing’, The Australian, 28 June 2013.
- Scott Murdoch, ‘China Opens Arms but has a Warning’, The Australian, 28 June 2013.
- Stephen McDonell, ‘China Congratulates Kevin Rudd on his Comeback as Prime Minister’, ABC News, 28 June 2013.
- Xu Yanyan and Song Dan, ‘News Analysis: Australia’s China Policy Constant No Matter Who Wins Election’, Xinhua Net, 29 June 2013.
July 2013
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, ‘President Xi Jinping Holds Telephone Talks with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia’, 8 July 2013.
- Hugh White, ‘Foreign Policy is Rudd’s Forte – Isn’t It?’, The Age, 9 July 2013.
- L. Wong, ‘Will Kevin Rudd Create a New Australia?’, People’s Daily Online, 22 July 2013.
- Kerry Brown, ‘China Must be Part of Long-Term Australian Political Narrative’, The Global Times, 26 July 2013.
August 2013
- Julie Bishop MP, ‘Why the Coalition is the Best Choice on Foreign, Aid and Trade Policy at this Election’, The Interpreter, 19 August 2013.
- Kevin Rudd MP, ‘Securing Australia’s Future Prosperity’, Speech at the Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney, 27 August 2013.
September 2013
- Bob Carr MP, ‘Why Labor is the Best Choice on Foreign, Aid and Trade Policy at this Election’, The Interpreter, 4 September 2013.
- Michael Fullilove, ‘Caught Between the U.S. and China’, The New York Times, 5 September 2013.
November 2013
- Sam Roggeveen, ‘How The Interpreter Saw Kevin Rudd’, The Interpreter, 14 November 2013.
December 2013
- Kevin Rudd, ‘China’s Impact on Regional and Global Order’, Alistair Buchan Memorial Lecture at the International Institute of Strategic Studies, London, 16 December 2013.
- AAP, ‘Kevin Rudd Deflects Questions on United Nations Secretary-General Role while in London to Speak to International Institute for Strategic Studies’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 17 December 2013.
January 2014
- Isaac Stone Fish, ‘Epiphanies from Kevin Rudd’, Foreign Policy, 21 January 2014.
February 2014
- Harvard Kennedy School, ‘Former Australian Prime Minister Named Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’, Media Release, 21 February 2014.
- Troy Bramston, ‘China Post for Kevin Rudd at Harvard’, The Australian, 22 February 2014.
- Staff, ‘Kevin Rudd Goes to Harvard’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 22 February 2014.
April 2014
- Matthew Knot, ‘James Packer Accuses Kevin Rudd of Damaging Asian Relations, Praises Tony Abbott’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 April 2014.
- Latika Bourke, ‘James Packer Says Australia’s Relationship with Asia went Backwards Under Kevin Rudd Leadership’, ABC News, 8 April 2014.
June 2014
- Charid Chang, ‘Tony Abbott is being hailed for his approach to Asia, somehow trumping mandarin speaking Kevin Rudd’, News.com.au, 11 June 2014.
October 2014
- Asia Society, ‘Kevin Rudd, former Australian PM, to Head Asia Society Policy Institute’, 21 October 2014.
February 2015
- Heath Aston, Matthew Knott and Inga Ting, ‘Mystery Chinese donor Zi Chun Wang tops political donations with $850,000 gift to Labor’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2 February 2015.
- Joanna Mather, Lisa Murray and Neil Chenoweth, ‘Labor gets big Chinese tip’, Australian Financial Review, 2 February 2015.
- Matthew Knott and Heath Aston, ‘Kevin Rudd’s second coming as PM spurred surge in donations from Chinese’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 3 February 2015.
- Fergus Ryan and Peter Cai, ‘Chinese man tops list of Australian political donors’, China Spectator, 3 February 2015.
- Paul Farrell and Nick Evershed, ‘Mystery $850,000 ALP donor is linked to Chinese-Australian property group’, The Guardian, 3 February 2015.
- David Donaldson, ‘Meet the mysterious Chinese property developer givign a motza to the ALP’, Crikey, 3 February 2015.
- Kevin Rudd, ‘How ancient Chinese thought applies today’, The Huffington Post, 4 February 2015.
- Kylar Loussikian, ‘Chinese developer leads surge in donations to ALP’, The Australian, 5 February 2015.
- John Kehoe, ‘Stop thinking ‘the worst’ about China: Kevin Rudd’, Australian Financial Review, 18 February 2015.
March 2015
- Kevin Rudd, ‘China under Xi Jinping: Alternative futures for U.S.-China relations’, Brzezinski Institute on Geostrategy, Centre for Strategic and International Studies, 13 March 2015.
- Kevin Rudd, ‘Are China and the US doomed to conflict?’, Speech to the TED 2015 Truth or Dare conference, Vancouver, March 2015.
April 2015
- Kevin Rudd, ‘U.S.-China 21, The Future of U.S.-China Relations Under Xi Jinping: Toward a New Framework of Constructive Realism for a Common Purpose’, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, April 2015.
- John Birmingham, ‘Kevin Rudd’s worst comeback since his last one’, The Canberra Times, 11 April 2015.
- Kevin Rudd, ‘How the US can live with a rising China’, Australian Financial Review, 14 April 2015.
- John Kerin, ‘Kevin Rudd tips China to avoid economic collapse and conflict’, Australian Financial Review, 14 April 2015.
- Kerry Brown, ‘Rudd’s China policy failures undermine his advice’, China Spectator, 17 April 2015
- James Massola, ‘Kevin Rudd quietly campaigning for UN secretary-general, says inner circle’, The Canberra Times, 17 April 2015.
- Gareth Evans, ‘A new blueprint for US-China relations’, Project Syndicate, 30 April 2015.
May 2015
- James Massola, ‘Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister in exile’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 May 2015.
- Jason Tin, ‘Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told his Mandarin language skills don’t mean he knows all about Chinese culture’, The Courier-Mail, 25 May 2015.
June 2015
- Kevin Rudd, ‘Wresting order from chaos in the superpower standoff’, The Australian, 27 June 2015.