Australia
Finding opportunity in Asia’s net-zero transition
The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing a surge in climate action, with nearly all countries in the region committing to achieving net-zero emissions, albeit with varying timeframes…
Economic diplomacy: Friends, rivals and diplomatic gaslighting
Hitting the gas
Japan’s ambassador to Australia Shingo Yamagami made himself an unexpectedly public figure in the reserved Canberra diplomatic corps with his witty social media…
The two big flaws in Penny Wong’s talk of deterrence over Taiwan
Speaking at the Press Club in Canberra last week, Foreign Minister Penny Wong dismissed discussion about war over Taiwan as “dangerous … parlour games”. It was an odd thing to say…
Quad should ask ASEAN to a diplomatic dance
In early 1979, fearing the growing security cooperation between Hanoi and Moscow, China invaded Vietnam. A year earlier, the then-Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping met Singapore’s…
Strategic divergence with Indonesia: an Australian perspective
In his essay for The Interpreter, Evan Laksmana set out three key sources of divergence between Indonesia and Australia: views of the United States, tensions between the role of…
Embracing the different ways Indonesia and Australia view the region
Many policymakers tend to ignore the points of fundamental strategic divergence between Indonesia and Australia. Public disagreements – say, over the AUKUS nuclear-powered…
Questions about Australian aid to fund the Pacific Games
The 2023 Pacific Games will be held in Solomon Islands at the end of the year. Australia’s support for the games of $17 million was announced by the Minister for International…
Hugh White on the choice facing Penny Wong
In a speech to the Press Club in Canberra this week, Foreign Minister Penny Wong sketched a fine vision for the future of the Asian order. Wong seeks a region in which no one…
Chinese-Australians feel more at home
Australian governments have been more forthright and public about their apprehensions over China’s intentions and actions in recent years. And for the past three years, the Lowy…
AUKUS: What to do with nuclear waste?
The Australian government has proudly stressed its commitment to nuclear stewardship as part of the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine plan. Responsible nuclear stewardship involves…