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Christian E. Rieck explores Germany’s new defence posture in Australia

View of the Sydney Opera House at night
Photo: Christian Rieck
View of the Sydney Opera House at night

Funding from the Asia-Pacific Department of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) allows  Christian E. Rieck to spend three months in Australia to research the international dimensions of the German Zeitenwende. He is particularly interested in how Berlin can deepen its defense partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, but also in what expectations are being placed by NATO partner Australia on its new defence posture. Germany traditionally has little influence in Australia in particular, but also in the wider region, a position that differs greatly from those of the United Kingdom and the United States. He will therefore conduct interviews with representatives from politics, business, academia, and think tanks in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth to explore Germany's scope for action. He will also give a series of lectures on German foreign and security policy for KAS and the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA), where he is a visiting scholar for this period. Not least, the visit is intended to promote better mutual understanding between two countries that have taken too little notice of each other for too long.