My China Story: Dr Geoff Raby AO (Catch up online)
This event was held on 29 August 2024.
The Institute for Australian and Chinese Arts and Culture (IAC) at Western Sydney University is honoured and excited to present a new episode of the IAC My China Story series, featuring Australia’s former ambassador to China, Dr Geoff Raby AO.
Dr Geoff Raby’s China journey began in September 1984 when he joined the Office of National Assessments (ONA) in Canberra and found that he was to be ONA’s China economic analyst, also working on Taiwan and Hong Kong. By March 1986, he had been transferred to the Department of Foreign Affairs and posted to Australia’s Embassy in Beijing as First Secretary (Economic), the first such position in the Department of Foreign Affairs. Following the amalgamation of the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade to make DFAT, Dr Raby was promoted to Counsellor (Economic) and re-assigned to Beijing to establish the Embassy’s first economic section.
In February 1991 Dr Raby was promoted to Assistant Secretary and returned to Canberra to establish the Northeast Asia Analytical Unit, which was soon re-badged as the East Asia Analytical Unit. The Unit produced analytical reports on China and other countries in East Asia which were intended to promote public understanding and discussion of the tremendous changes occurring in East Asia and the implications for Australia.
From 1993 for the next twelve years, Dr Raby was involved mainly in multilateral and regional trade policy work, holding positions at the OECD in Paris, the WTO in Geneva, and as the Canberra-based Ambassador to APEC. As Deputy Secretary in DFAT, he was also responsible for Australia’s relations with China. He was appointed Australia’s ambassador to Beijing from 2007 to August 2011. From then, he lived in Beijing until 2022 as a business entrepreneur and independent company director.
Dr Raby is a regular columnist with the Australian Financial Review and a public intellectual contributing commentary on Australia-China relations, regional geopolitics and geostrategy. His latest book, Great Game On: the Contest for Central Asia and Global Supremacy,will be published in November 2024.
Biography
 | Dr Geoff Raby AO is an economist and Australia’s Ambassador to China from 2007 to 2011. His first diplomatic posting to China was from 1986-1991 as Economic Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Beijing. He was Australia’s Ambassador to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva (1998-2001) and Australia’s APEC Ambassador (2002-2004). He has held several senior positions in DFAT, including Deputy Secretary (2002-2006), First Assistant Secretary, International Organisations and Legal Division (2001-2002) and First Assistant Secretary, Trade Negotiations Division (1995-1998). He was head of the Trade Policy Issues Division in the OECD Secretariat in Paris (1993-95). After 27 years in the public service, he completed his Ambassadorial term and resigned to establish Geoff Raby and Associates in 2011. In recognition of his contributions to advancing relations between Australia and China and his contribution to multilateral trade diplomacy, Dr Raby was awarded the Order of Australia in June 2019. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by Federation University and also by La Trobe University, both in 2022. He also served as the Chair of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Australian and Chinese Arts & Culture at Western Sydney University and the Chair of VisAsia at the Art Gallery of NSW. Dr Raby developed a strong interest in Chinese contemporary art in the late eighties as he became acquainted with young emerging artists in Beijing. From there began his passion for collecting artworks which culminated in the extensive Geoff Raby Collection of Contemporary Chinese Art that he has donated to his alma mater, La Trobe University. A selection of this collection covering four decades was exhibited at Bendigo Art Gallery in 2022 and at the National Art School in Sydney in 2024. Dr Raby is a regular columnist with the Australian Financial Review and published author. His book, China’s Grand Strategy and Australia’s Future in the New Global Order, was published in 2020 and his latest book, Great Game On: The Contest for Central Asia and Global Supremacy, will be published by Melbourne University Press in November 2024. |
