Asia and Pacific
When Aung San Suu Kyi comes to call
At one level, Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to Australia last week was all high praise, inspiring speeches and standing ovations. At another level, it was hard-headed politics,…
Australia-Japan: Abbott uses the 'A' word
I am happy to fess up for making quite a lot of noise about Tony Abbott's depiction of Japan as Australia's 'best friend' in Asia. And I have to admit that there are comments…
Keating prescriptions not part of Beijing's script
In his speech to the 21st Century Council in Beijing, former prime minister Paul Keating has once again demonstrated his adroit perception for the nature of these times and the…
Bangkok protest latest instalment in long-running crisis
The current street demonstrations in Bangkok are best understood as a continuation of a political upheaval dating back to 2006 and the ousting of the elected caretaker government…
Chinese footprints on the Moon
China has launched its first spacecraft bound for the surface of the Moon. The Chang'e-3 mission will deploy a rover and conduct astronomical observations.This will be the first…
Hope for expanded Australia-PNG links
While the Australia-Papua New Guinea relationship is currently strong, we need only look at the Indonesia spy scandal to understand how vulnerable Australia’s official…
Vietnam's foreign policy: Fewer enemies, more friends
Amid Vietnam's domestic volatility, there has been much foreign policy manoeuvring.
In October, an agreement was reached with China to establish a working group on maritime…
Keating speech exposes 'China Choice' flaws
I have been trying to understand how it is that Australia is the only US ally in Asia where former heads of state embrace the thesis that the US must gracefully surrender…
ADIZ: Australia right to speak plainly
Julie Bishop’s deliberate move to make plain Australia’s view on China’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea can be interpreted in two ways.
Rob Ayson…
China's Peace Ark: For the record
With its sudden announcement of an unorthodox aerial ‘defence identification’ zone, along with its aircraft carrier’s first voyage into the South China Sea, China continues to…