Sydney Salon with Geoff Raby AO and Jennifer Wong on China 2021

Former Australian Ambassador to China, Dr Geoff Raby AO shares his strategic insights on our often challenging relationship with China, and explains why Australia and the West suffer from Sinophrenia, facilitated by Jennifer Wong, highly acclaimed writer, performer, comedian and culture leader.

Ticket price includes wine, antipasto, cheese and Covid surcharge.

Dr Geoff Raby AO was Australia's Ambassador to China from 2007 to 2011. He established Geoff Raby and Associates, a Beijing based corporate advisory firm providing strategic advice and analysis on China, in 2011.

Geoff was Deputy Secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) from 2002 to 2006; Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation, Geneva (1998 to 2001); First Assistant Secretary, Trade Negotiations Division (1995 to 1998); APAC Ambassador (2002 to 2004); and Head of the Trade Policy Issues Division in the OECD in Paris (1993 to 1995).

Geoff also holds a number of non-executive directorships, including Yancoal, OceanaGold and previously Fortescue Metals Group. He serves as Co-Chair of Corrs Chambers Westgarth's China practice, and is a member of the not-for-profit Advance Global Advisory Board, University of Sydney's China Studies Centre Advisory Board, La Trobe University Asia Advisory Board, and the Foundation of the National Gallery of Victoria.

Geoff's recent book, China's Grand Strategy and Australia's Future in the New Global Order (2020), provides hard-hitting analysis and sharp proposals for getting this crucial relationship back on track.

Jennifer Wong is a highly regarded performer, comedian and writer. Her new ABC iview show, Chopsticks or Fork?, a food/travel show about Chinese restaurants in regional Australia filmed during Covid, will air in May 2021.

She is the creator and host of many shows including Lunar New Year Comedy, Comedy vs Racism, Pitch a Classic Today _and _Book Club Impro, and has performed at arts and comedy festivals in Australia, Edinburgh and Shanghai.

In 2017, her stand-up show, How to English Harder, was sold out at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Sydney's Belvoir St Downstairs. She was a writer/performer in The Serpent's Table, which was sold out at the Sydney Festival 2014, and in 2015 she was a supporting cast member in the TV comedy, Plonk.

As writer and presenter of ABC iview's Bookish, she interviewed local and international authors, poets and illustrators. Her interviews with writers and artists have aired on ABC RN's Books and Arts _program, and she is a regular guest on ABC Sydney's _Thank God It's Friday. _Jennifer's first role in TV was writing _for Good News Week (Network Ten in 2008) and since then has worked on comedy and factual programs with a number of production companies including Roving Enterprises, Zapruder's Other Films, Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder, ITV and Blackfella Films.

As an MC and facilitator, Jennifer works regularly with community organisations on events relating to anti-racism, arts and culture, mental health and education.

Sydney Salon is an NFP discussion and networking forum for leaders, founded by Kim McKay AO and Michelle Wood in 2013.