Asia
North Korea goes its own way on missile tests
For any nation, testing space rockets or ballistic missiles is a long and tortuous process. It’s usually littered with a string of failures. The challenge for any program is…
After a slow start, Turnbull and Jokowi ready to get down to business
Malcolm Turnbull is moving quickly to maintain the momentum of an improving relationship with Indonesia with a speedily organised visit to Jakarta this week. The prime minister’s…
Commentary
Fairness not the meat in Joko Widodo deal
More than anything, President Joko Widodo's brief recent visit to Australia showcased a warm, personal rapport between him and Malcolm Turnbull, and the Prime Minister is to be…
Understanding China’s suspension of North Korean coal imports
How should we understand the motivation behind China's decision to cut-off imports of coal from North Korea?
A conventional place to start might be from Chinese officials. Yet…
South Korea lost without its mojo
Last week I visited the Republic of Korea (ROK), where I had the opportunity to meet with officials, think tankers and journalists.
My impression is that South Koreans feel set…
Quick comment: Seiichiro Takagi on China, Trump and Japan-Australia relations
Yesterday afternoon International Security Program Director Euan Graham spoke with prominent Japanese Sinologist Seiichiro Takagi, Senior Research Advisor at the Japan Institute…
Abe's Trump moves: Proactive pragmatism at its finest
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has accomplished what no other foreign leaders has with US President Donald Trump. Not only has he already met him twice — once before and again…
Southeast Asia’s neglected navigational and overflight challenges
As the new US administration considers how to respond to China’s strategic challenge in the South China Sea, it must also grapple with the legal, political and operational…
The question for Jokowi: Indonesia first, but can Australia be second?
President Jokowi is finally making an official visit to Australia this weekend. But while he spends the weekend shaking hands in Sydney, the Indonesian leader may be concentrating…
Why Australia and Japan need a Plan B
Concern over the possible decline of US power and the resilience of its commitment to underwriting security in Asia is not new. In the post-1945 period, doubts over Washington’s…