Justin Bassi

NEW POD 📢 In a special episode previewing the Trump-Xi Summit, @davidwroe speaks to former White House China director Matthew Turpin on the underlying shifts in the 🇺🇸-🇨🇳 economic relationship & why we need a strategy of disentanglement. 🎧 Listen here: bit.ly/3Pj7q40

Highly recommend this pod with fascinating insights & analysis from someone who has been involved in such meetings. The Trump-Xi summit is not just important for 🇺🇸 & 🇨🇳 but all nations, with implications for 🇦🇺 & the Indo-Pacific. A great discussion Matt Turpin & @davidwroe ⤵️

🚨 EVENT ALERT🚨 Join @ASPI_WDSN, partnering with Corro, for Speed Mentoring on 10 June. If you're passionate about defence, foreign affairs & national security, this event is a chance to gain advice from senior leaders from across the sector. Register: bit.ly/42sd07p

🚨 SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨 We're looking forward to welcoming Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, @CAF_Australia, to the ASPI Defence Conference on 25 June. The event will engage participants on 🇦🇺’s most pressing defence and national security priorities. 🎫👉bit.ly/4uqFJWa

A great privilege for @ASPI_org to host Admiral Paparo, Commander @INDOPACOM, yesterday. The 🇦🇺-🇺🇸 alliance is foundational to our national security and it is through working together and with regional allies and partners like 🇯🇵 that we are collectively stronger.

India: "Zangnan is China’s territory and China has never recognized so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ illegally set up by India, says FM on India rejecting China’s naming of places in Zangnan" Global Times globaltimes.cn/page/202604/13…

Speaking to @Kieran_Gilbert on @SkyNewsAust, @MikeHughesASPI discussed the findings of ASPI's new report examining risks in the AUKUS Optimal Pathway and the role Japan could play in helping Australia avoid a potential future submarine capability gap. 📺 Watch here ⬇️

Excellent explainer by ASPI’s AI & Security head, @davidwroe, on how 🇦🇺 can establish itself as an indispensable part of the AI revolution and why “fixing the copyright issue to create a relatively low-friction environment for data-centre investment is the number one priority” ⤵️

SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT 📢 We're delighted to announce LTGEN Simon Stuart AO DSC, @ChiefAusArmy, will speak at the 2026 ASPI Defence Conference. Hear insights from key leaders as they discuss the most pressing strategic challenges facing 🇦🇺. 🎟️ Register: bit.ly/4uqFJWa

Measured and practical advice here from Richard Gray. AUKUS is in Australia's interests and will deliver the best capability over the long term, but exploring a prudent back-up with Japan for the medium term makes a lot of sense.

In this excellent new report, my @ASPI_org colleague, Richard Gray, makes it clear that AUKUS will make all three nations stronger. But there are risks and they need to be managed. One option is to work with 🇯🇵 on leasing subs if a capability gap emerges. Read about it here ⤵️

Thank you @FinancialReview for publishing my op-ed as 🇯🇵 PM Takaichi arrives in 🇦🇺… “The surest way to deter Beijing from instigating a regional conflict is if Japan, Australia and others in the region forge closer partnerships.” afr.com/policy/foreign…

SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT 📢 We're pleased to announce @PMalinauskasMP, Premier of South Australia, will speak at the 2026 ASPI Defence Conference in Canberra. Join us for timely discussions on 🇦🇺's defence strategy and place in the world. 🎟️ Register: bit.ly/4uqFJWa

In @GuardianAus on reports a Chinese student has been jailed in 🇨🇳 for joining Sydney protests, @BassiJustin said “governments & university administrators cannot pretend that their relationships with China are normal and only involve an economic partner”. theguardian.com/australia-news…

SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT 📢 We're pleased to announce @RichardMarlesMP, 🇦🇺 Deputy PM and Minister for Defence, will speak at the 2026 ASPI Defence Conference. With conflicts across the 🌏, this event will unpack the NDS & Australia's role in the world. 🎟️: bit.ly/4tFfPhn

PROJECT UPDATE 📢 Today @ASPI_CTS launches an update to the China Defence Universities Tracker, including insights on China-Iran research ties for the past 15 years, a major refresh of sanctions information and updates to 12 institutions. 📝 Get access: unitracker.aspi.org.au

NEW PODCAST 🎤 @MadeleineMHKing, Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, joins Stop the World to discuss the failure of critical minerals markets, the need for intervention and what connected supply chains will look like in the future. 🎧 Listen: bit.ly/4cvdD5W

With last week's release of the new 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program, @ASPI_org 's Defence Strategy team got busy analysing the issues emerging from the 'NDS' and 'IIP'. Here's a special edition of our 'Fault Lines' newsletter which brings that work together. There's a great podcast with ASPI Defence Strategy Director @MikeHughesASPI , Deputy Director @Stewart_ASPI and Residential Senior Fellow @davidwroe examining the issues associated with the strategy, funding and the strategic outlook. Then, the Defence Strategy team's perspectives are brought together from the Strategist, including Mike and ASPI Executive Director @BassiJustin on the emerging strategic environment, Residential Senior Fellow Richard Gray on self reliance vs self sufficiency, Researcher Linus Cohen on funding, Residential Senior Fellow Colin Karotam on the defence policy process, and Courtney on the importance of a regional balance of power - plus, myself giving some thoughts on capability development and the IIP. We finish off with some media interviews in the wake of the release of the NDS and IIP. Expect a lot more from ASPI's Defence Strategy team in coming weeks on the NDS and IIP, and it'll be a key topic at our ASPI Defence Conference, here in Canberra, on 25th June - ( 'events.aspi.org.au/defenceconfere…' ). So it is well worth attending that key event to gain an insight on where @DefenceAust and the ADF go next!

That’s a wrap on the 2026 Darwin Dialogue! Over the past two days, experts from 🇦🇺, 🇨🇦, 🇺🇸, 🇯🇵, 🇰🇷, 🇮🇩, 🇳🇱, 🇬🇧 and 🇮🇳 came together to discuss building secure, sustainable critical minerals supply chains by 2030. Thank you to all of our speakers, participants and partners.

Opening the 2026 Darwin Dialogue, NT Chief Minister @LiaFinocchiaro said it’s time to prioritise action. She noted the NT is vital to 🇦🇺’s economic security, from resources to supply chains, and is open for business, with policy certainty key to attracting private investment.