The United States Studies Centre hosted a launch event for the USSC major report, Aligning values and interests: Japanese and Australian democracy support in the Pacific and Southeast Asia.

No issues have aligned Japan and Australia more than the multi-faceted challenges China poses, particularly in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Yet as Japan and Australia have drawn closer than ever in areas of security, trade and regional aid, there remains far more work to be done in response to China’s erosion of democratic norms.

How can Australia and Japan — two of the largest regional development partners — better support democracy in the region? How can they align their strategic priorities with the needs of a complex and emerging region? What role should the United States have in their efforts?

To answer these questions, USSC CEO Dr Michael Green moderated a discussion with report editor USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Dr Lavina Lee and report author Dr John Lee, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute.