The 15th ACYD marked a significant milestone in fostering meaningful connections between emerging leaders from Australia and China. This year’s dialogue not only showcased the city of Guangzhou as a hub of trade and cultural exchange, but also allowed the delegates of the ACYD to engage in impactful conversations that shape the future of bilateral engagement.
The 15th ACYD would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our Major, Associate and Affiliate partners: The National Foundation for Australia-China Relations, King & Wood Mallesons, Tourism Australia, and Airwallex. Their contributions, including ongoing support and the provision of expert panel members and world-class venues, ensured delegates could engage in a program that inspired collaboration and strengthened professional networks across borders.
Announcing the 30 Delegates of the 15th Australia-China Youth Dialogue 🌏
15th ACYD Delegates — The Australia-China Youth Dialogue
We’re thrilled to introduce the outstanding cohort selected for the 15th Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) — 30 emerging leaders from across government, business, academia, technology, media, and civil society, representing both nations’ next generation of emerging leaders.
This year’s delegates include Forbes 30 Under 30 honourees, UN-accredited researchers, diplomats, AI innovators, global correspondents, and social entrepreneurs driving impact across sectors from clean energy to culture.
From across Australia and China, they bring a wealth of experience. CEOs, diplomats academics, engineers, consultants, and creators. United by a shared commitment to deepening understanding and collaboration between the two countries.
Together, they’ll gather in Guangzhou, 21–24 November 2025, to explore how we can Buildresilience in uncertainty through dialogue, collaboration and shared vision.
Stay tuned over the next few days as we will be spotlighting our 30 delegates and the themes shaping the future of Australia–China engagement.
#ACYD2025 #AustraliaChina #YouthDiplomacy #PeopleToPeopleLinks #Leadership
#CrossCulturalDialogue
Together, we are shaping the future of this important relationship by fostering understanding, strengthening people-to-people links, and promoting cultural and societal awareness. To all our partners supporting the 14th ACYD in 2024, thank you for your commitment to our shared vision.
The 14th Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) will be held in Adelaide this year from Friday 22nd November to Monday 25th November 2024, bringing together 28 delegates from both countries. The four-day conference will explore the overarching theme of Planning for The Future By Learning From The Past, with each day focusing on a particular topic including: Geopolitics, Trade and Investment, Education and Tourism, Energy and Sustainability. This year's dialogue will include panel discussions and interactive workshops, to be led by expert speakers from Australian government and universities, Australia-based Chinese companies, to bring discussions, insights and a more sophisticated understanding of the bilateral trade and investment relationship.
On March 27, 2024, Qin Qin (2013 ACYD Alumni) published her book named Model Minority Gone Rogue – the story of Qin Qin. The book unpacks her incredible journey as a model Asian daughter growing up in Australia and how she decided to take the path less walked by which will no doubt inspire many. Congratulations Qin Qin!
After an intensive week of seminars, speeches and sessions on issues ranging from security and the environment to global trade and politics, the final topic for discussion at the 2013 Australia-China Youth Dialogue (ACYD) was that of Australia-China creative industries. Speakers included Leslie Always, Greame Lewsey, Paul Lacy, and Michell Guo.
Yun Liu, a Chinese delegate to the 2013 Australia-China Youth Dialogue and this year’s University of Sydney China Studies Centre Fellow, has recently been awarded the 2013 University of Sydney John C Harsanyi Medal for International Student Achievement. Established in 2012, the Harsanyi Medal is awarded to honour academic excellence and contribution to the diverse life of the University and the broader community by an international student.
As a recent graduate of the University of Sydney, Yun has left a lasting impression on the University community through her diverse contributions to student life. Keen to enrich the experience of her fellow international students, she took on the position of international student intern at the University of Sydney Union. The role saw her organise an array of events to inspire international students to become more involved in campus activities including Multicultural Night, a pilot program that has since developed into a full Festival. As the vice-president of Unimates, the largest intercultural society on campus, she actively sought out volunteering and mentoring opportunities for international students. Yun served as the Students Representative Council international student officer and was also an international student ambassador in the International Office. In 2012, she was awarded a University of Sydney Union Blue Award for her outstanding contribution to the student community.
Yun combined all this with very strong academic performance, graduating with First Class Honours in Bachelor of International and Global Studies in April 2013. During her Honours year, she completed a 19,000-word thesis on Taiwan’s changing economic policymaking towards China Mainland. Her outstanding academic record has brought her many awards, including the 2009 International Merit Scholarship and the 2010 Academic Merit Prize.
Yun’s strong interest in international affairs and unique international experiences have also been demonstrated through her diverse working experiences including Lowy Institute for International Policy as an intern, the Office of Vice-Chancellor International Leaders Program as a project assistant and a media intern at China Radio International.
The Australia-China Youth Dialogue 2013 Report is now officially released, proudly presented to you by the ACYD team. This year's dialogue was held in Canberra and Melbourne for one week during late September. Now we welcome the latest 30 delegates to join the ranks of another 90 outstanding ACYD alumni who have, or are moving into, positions of influence and leadership across the spectrum of the Australia-China dynamic.
Melbourne based ACYD Alumni are invited to the Mahjong Game at the Henley Club at Melbourne on Sunday, 24th November, 12 noon. More details to follow. Save the date
Winner of Young Australia China Alumni of the Year Award
Australian National University Alumnus Beijing Based
Based in Beijing, Timothy Coghlan leads the luxury retail team for Savills Property Services China and advises the world’s most iconic fashion and luxury brands on their China entry, expansion and retail strategies. His clients include, Louis Vuitton Group (LVMH Group), Gucci Group (Kering), Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, and Tiffany & Co., etc.
In 2011, Timothy created Maosuit.com and wrote over 100 articles and opinion pieces on the business of fashion in China for the site. Time permitting, he still writes for Maosuit.com and with his expertise he often speaks at luxury and fashion industry events including seminars hosted by Tsinghua University, Goldman Sachs and the Melbourne Fashion festival.
As an Australian Fashion Industry Ambassador to China, Timothy struts his own brand of ‘catwalk diplomacy’ and he set up the Australia-China Fashion Alliance (ACFA) project to provide strategic guidance to the development of Australian fashion and related services in China.
In 2012, ACFA received funding through DFAT’s Australia-China Council and in 2013, Timothy led the first-ever official Chinese fashion industry delegation to visit Australia. In October 2013, Timothy will bring the first official Australian Fashion Delegation to Beijing to attend China Fashion Week and formalise the Australia-China Fashion Alliance by signing an MOU committing the two countries to foster mutual cooperation, open commercial dialogues and facilitate regular fashion industry exchange for government, universities, wool producers, fashion brands and fashion designers etc.
Timothy graduated from the Australian National University with degrees in both Economics and East Asian Studies (Mandarin). Since graduation, he has spent his entire career in Asia with many years in both China and Japan.
In addition his ‘regular’ work activities Timothy serves as an Australian International Alumni Councilor for China, Committee Member of the Australia-China Young Professionals Initiative (Beijing Chapter) and is a delegate and the Creative Industries Session organiser for the 2013 Australia-China Youth Dialogue.
Retrieved from: http://www.austchinaalumni.org/awards/nominees2013.php#categ3
A family holiday at the age of 12 hooked Veronica Walker on all things China. Now almost two decades later, the Asian studies and arts graduate is still peering interestedly into the backyard of the country with the Great Wall.
She’s just returned from the 2013 Australia China Youth Dialogue – an annual conference that promotes engagement between young adults from China and Australia who are interested in strengthening the two countries’ relationship.
As one of two alumni prize recipients selected to attend the conference on behalf of the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, Veronica had the opportunity to engage with other young professionals on the big issues affecting the Australia-China relationship.
“The Australia China Youth Dialogue really highlighted the fact that there is a strong group of Australian and Chinese individuals with immense goodwill and passion seeking to build greater understanding and deeper relationships between these two countries,” she says.
“The Dialogue covered a range of key issues in the bilateral relationship, from climate change to business engagement. But central to all of these discussions remains the importance of building strong people-to-people links and understanding.”
Veronica’s used to looking at the big picture. It’s something she had to do as part of her previous role as an advisor to the Australia in the Asian Century Implementation Taskforce.
“The Taskforce was a cross-agency team established to support implementation of the former Government's Australia in the Asian Century White Paper,” says Veronica.
“The highlight of this role was having the opportunity to combine my professional role with my interest in China and Australian engagement with Asia. I also enjoyed the opportunity to work in a fast-paced environment with a dynamic team of people from a range of different agencies.”
But for Veronica, it isn’t just policies that will ensure Australia will succeed in the Asian century. It comes down to people, culture and experience. Such a perspective is unsurprising considering Veronica’s experiences in childhood and as a student.
“My father is an academic and growing up we often had international postgraduate students living with our family. Qian, from Yangzhou, stayed with our family for the longest, around 18 months.
“And as an Asian studies student who majored in Mandarin at ANU, I had the opportunity to complete the Year in Asia Program in 2004 – nearly 10 years ago now!
“I studied at the Beijing Language and Culture University and this gave me my first in-depth experience of China and allowed me to put in to practise some of the skills I'd learnt while studying in Canberra.”
For the immediate future Veronica’s gaze has turned to Australia’s own backyard. She has just started a new job with the Australian Government looking at Indigenous economic development.
But with some 20 years of hands-on experience with one of the world’s most dynamic countries, we bet it won’t be long before she is back in China, helping to break down walls.
Veronica Walker completed a combined Bachelor of Asian Studies/ Bachelor of Arts at ANU in 2006.
Featured image by Songquan Deng from flickr.
Source: Australian National University Website, http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/news-events/all-stories/breaking-down-walls#.UluxNGTN9kh
