(Photo: ABC)

The ABC’s international television channel, ABC Australia, has shown the inaugural Wang Gungwu Lecture, shining a light on the contribution of Chinese Australians to the country for more than a century.

A renowned pediatrician and former Australian of the Year, Dr John Yu, delivered the lecture to a live audience at ABC Sydney’s studios on 22 June.

It was shown on ABC Australia on 29 June and will air on ABC TV in Australia on 5 July. It is also available on ABC iview and ABC Australia iview.

Dr Yu used his address to reflect on his experience as a refugee and to highlight the important contribution made to Australia by migrants.

“We need to think more about how we treat migrants, and especially refugees, and accept that sometimes refugees might have something worthy of this country and very often, some of us might be able to repay that debt in a very positive way by the way we live.”

The new initiative is the result of a partnership between ABC Australia, the National Foundation for Australia China Relations and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It takes its name from Professor Wang Gungwu, a pre-eminent scholar on overseas Chinese communities and the Chinese international migration experience.

ABC Head of International Services Claire Gorman said: “The ABC has a proud history of sharing the stories of Australians from diverse background and we are delighted to be helping launch this new lecture celebrating the lives and achievements of Chinese Australians in partnership with our friends at the National Foundation.”