China has identified the beleaguered garrison at Second Thomas Shoal as a weak link among the South China Sea features physically occupied by the Philippines and, by extension, the US-Philippines alliance. While Manila has held …
Whatever diplomatic niceties were exchanged during Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia this week, China wants to undo the established liberal order and impose a different order on the region. This new order would, at …
To the Australian government and academic sectors, Pacific universities seem to be like that short kid on a basketball court—the one who stands patiently on the sidelines, waiting for a chance to be picked that …
China continues to pursue stadium diplomacy in the Pacific, building stadiums and training facilities to gain favour and influence in Pacific island countries. Australia can take advantage of China’s efforts with sports diplomacy that engages …
Australia’s exports to the nations that supported it during China’s three-year campaign of economic punishment are tumbling, as China reasserts its position as Australia’s dominant export market. Exports to Japan have dropped by a third …
Dialogue has many meanings and purposes. But substantial dialogue in the true Socratic sense isn’t just having a conversation or swapping views. Rather, it aims to reveal the truth and to change the other person’s …
Just as Slovakia entered a moratorium on public speeches and campaigning ahead of this month’s European Parliament elections, Prime Minister Robert Fico delivered his first public remarks since he was seriously injured in an assassination attempt in …
Because Taiwan lacks formal diplomatic ties with most countries, it works hard at developing cultural and social links with them. But not with Japan. Far more than is widely understood in other countries, Taiwan and …
AUKUS is the great polariser of Australia’s national security community. Supporters are accused of risking too much for one capability; critics are accused of being unhelpful or lacking belief in Australia. All this misses the …
Recent efforts by Australia, Britain and the United States to harmonise their defence trade controls are welcome, if long overdue. But there are reasons to worry that AUKUS Pillar 2 may be carved out of …
Great-power competition between the United States and China continues to weaken multilateralism and the rules-based order. Despite that, the system is far from dead. Autocratic states increasingly seek to interact with international institutions in ways …
This is the second part of a two-part article on coercive threats to critical minerals supply chains and what Australia and its critical minerals partners are doing and should do to counter them. China’s …
Beijing appears to be strengthening its role of mediator in the Middle East to present itself as a constructive and responsible actor on the global stage. Following its successful mediation in 2023 between Iran and …
This weekend’s Summit on Peace in Ukraine is a misnomer. It’s not about an immediate end to the war but about finding ways to strengthen Ukraine’s hand so that it heads to the negotiating table …
Our domestic discourse on the geopolitics of Antarctica is shamefully shallow. Our attitude continues to be one of ‘there’s nothing to see here’. Our vital interests, including the defence of Australian sovereign territory, are …
We were on the right track in 2015 to make the most of northern Australia. A white paper in that year laid out a development vision for 2035 and called for changes in governance arrangements …
The problem of dealing with a belligerent communist China is the geopolitical challenge of the age. Its favourable resolution will open the door to global amity. The alternative is enduring global instability, confrontation, and the …
Indonesia should seize a chance of improving its defence-industry capability by stepping up cooperation with South Korea. With four defence companies among the world’s top 100, South Korea shows that Indonesia can achieve its objective …
The village of Maw Ni Bill (Oe Thei) being burnt by arson attack on May 18th. In the late evening of Friday 17 May 2024, Rohingya neighbourhoods in the town of Buthidaung in Myanmar’s …
With relations between Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) strong, the time is right for Australia to advocate for a high-level Australia–Indonesia–PNG trilateral strategic partnership. Australia’s 2016 Defence White Paper identified the Pacific and …