Fraser and China
Dennis White
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Executive Summary
Malcom Fraser was Prime Minister from November 1975 to March 1983. In June 1976 his first extended overseas visit as Prime Minister was to Japan and China rather than to Britain or the United States.
Fraser had a history of hostility towards China as a Liberal backbencher and then as Minister for the Army and Minister for Defence. As Prime Minister, Fraser pursued the relationship between Australia and China as a priority, marking the beginning of bipartisanship in Australia’s China policy.
On August 17 2015 the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI) presented the third instalment of our ‘Prime Ministers Series’ dedicated to highlighting the China policies of Australian Prime Ministers.
Associate Professor James Curran and Professor John Fitzgerald discussed the evolution of Fraser’s attitude to China. Their analysis situates Fraser’s China policy within his broader view of international affairs, covering the period from when he was elected Member for Wannon to the years after his Prime Ministership ended.
Speakers
James Curran, Professor, Department of History and Research Associate, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney;
John Fitzgerald, Director, Asia-Pacific Centre for Social Impact & Philanthropy at Swinburne University of Technology.
