Kevin Rudd

Kevin Rudd entered Parliament in 1998 and became Labor leader in 2006. He served as prime minister from 2007 to 2010, foreign minister from 2010 to 2012, and prime minister again in 2013. His study of Chinese language and history developed into a continuing focus on China's politics, including books on Xi Jinping and the risks of conflict between China and the United States. ^{1, 3}

Rudd served as ambassador from March 2023 to March 2026. The Australian government's assessment of his posting credited the embassy with advancing congressional authorisation for AUKUS, negotiating the critical minerals and rare earths framework, and helping secure Julian Assange's return to Australia in 2024. ²

He returned to lead Asia Society in March 2026. He also continued his association with its policy institute and Center for China Analysis. ³