Seeing China in real time: ANZSOG’s China Reciprocal Program gives senior leaders unique insights
China’s impact on the world has never been as great as it is today, and neither has its relevance to the futures of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
It is simultaneously the largest trading partner of both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, and a key to their strategic futures.
ANZSOG’s 2025 China Reciprocal Program (CRP) gave a group of high-level public sector leaders from Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia the chance to see first-hand the scale of change and development in China, and the way that its government is actively driving economic and technological growth.
ANZSOG is uniquely placed to give senior public sector leaders deep insights and access to China, and a practical and academic understanding of how its economic, social and political systems fit together.
“China is a country built on big ideas: The key difference in China is the scale and huge ambition.”
The CRP ran from 24 October to 2 November 2025, visiting Beijing, Hangzhou and Shanghai, and allowing participants to go behind the scenes to gain fresh perspectives and engage in fruitful dialogue with senior Chinese government officials, academics and business leaders.
The program focused on China’s governance and innovation and included formal engagements with Chinese counterparts, lectures from Chinese and Australian academics, and visits to exhibitions and industry presentations focused on urban and economic development and innovation.
A series of lectures gave them a detailed grounding in China’s modernisation and governance, including the role of regional and local governments.
Site visits included:
- Beijing Clean Energy Co Ltd: Participants saw how China is building a new power system, which currently sees more than 50 per cent of electricity being produced from renewable sources. The modern plant is one of six in the Beijing metro area and is more effective at capturing waste heat and producing more energy
- Alibaba: The e-commerce giant’s platform delivers e-commerce, digital commerce, cloud intelligence and other specific services. The platform focuses on SMEs, helping them gain market through end-to-end services, focusing on easy and accessible translation for business.
- Shanghai’s Pilot Free Trade Zone: Spanning 260km², the Pudong zone covers the port area, financial CBD, and Jingyao. The starting point for its development was the granting of independent legal powers 35 years ago sparking a trajectory of development from that point to the current day.
As well as the scope and scale of China’s growth, participants were able to gain a better understanding of the role of Five-Year Plans in China’s public governance system, which create a focus on particular areas, and drive investment in R&D and innovation, high technology development and new energy systems.
At the same time, China’s economy is highly-diverse, with different regions having different strengths, while ensuring that regions integrate their efforts towards a shared national goal.
“They think about where they have come from, and plan carefully towards the future. It is remarkable how they drive change, especially in science, technology and innovation.”
Participants spoke of the value of practical engagement with China, and how it crystallised the need for strategic leadership in the public sector around how Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand engage with China, to manage opportunities and challenges of the relationships with China.
The CRP is a long-running ANZSOG program. Many Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand public agencies have programs and linkages with China, most often focused on trade, engagement, or dialogue about respective and mutual national interests.
The successful 2025 iteration is another example of ANZSOG using our unique networks and access to help public sector agencies deepen their engagement with China and build their understanding of the opportunities that arise from China’s growth.
The CRP is a long-running ANZSOG program, funded by the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.