The Stories We Tell Ourselves: China, America and Australian Self-Reliance

For decades, China was seen in Australia as an opportunity. Today, it's more often described as a threat.

But how much of Australia's understanding of China reflects reality — and how much is shaped by the stories we tell ourselves?

As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks of an "ideological disagreement" with the United States, and as global tensions expose vulnerabilities in supply chains and energy security, a broader question is emerging: is Australia prepared to think more independently about its place in the world?

This week, Fourth Estate examines the media narratives, strategic assumptions and political debates that have come to define Australia's relationship with its largest trading partner.

Host Tina Quinn speaks with former Labor leader and University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Bill Shorten about Australia's fuel security, sovereign capabilities and what self-reliance might look like in an increasingly uncertain world.

Then, a panel featuring Professor Wanning Sun (University of Technology Sydney and a frequent contributor to Crikey), Peter Hartcher (Political and International Editor, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age) and Ben Doherty (Senior Reporter, Guardian Australia) explores how China is framed in Australian media, the influence of the United States on Australian foreign policy, and whether Australia's assumptions about alliances, security and sovereignty need rethinking.

Are we seeing China clearly — or through the lens of geopolitics, fear and strategic rivalry?

And as the balance of global power shifts, what does Australian self-reliance actually look like?

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