China
Commentary
Xi Jinping speeds China's ascent
China's leader is driving his country to match a declining America by 2035. That is only four or five Australian elections away. Originally published in the Australian Financial…
Can Covid-19 advance gender equality in China’s health policies?
The Chinese government has officially encouraged women to have equal roles in social, economic and political life. Still, traditional culture and practice continue to subject…
Economic diplomacy: Japanese investment takes a Toll
Will the bell Toll?
The quiet flood of Japanese investment into Australia over the past few years amid at times mounting alarm about much lower levels of Chinese investment has…
Filling the gap: How Australia is creating its own “China problem”
Australia is creating its own “China problem” by not adequately funding research, cultural and language training, and by not taking seriously the national security implications of…
Duelling diplomacy over Southeast Asia’s most important river
The Mekong, Southeast Asia’s most important river, has for millennia supported the rise and fall of empires and is responsible for the livelihood of over 65 million…
Can China be a peacemaker in Afghanistan?
“China would be welcomed as an arbitrator in negotiations [for peace in Afghanistan] and should not leave matters of such a great importance solely to the US.”
So said Maulana…
Kyrgyzstan’s turmoil and the competition for Central Asia
Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic seen as Russia’s most loyal ally in Central Asia, has been rocked by unrest after a disputed parliamentary election held on 4 October. Moscow…
Kiwis and hawks: Is New Zealand edging closer to Australia on China?
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade describes Australia and New Zealand as “natural allies with a strong trans-Tasman sense of family”. New Zealand claims it has “no…
The many trails of Ant Group
When the last of the big four state-owned Chinese banks listed a decade ago, one could be forgiven for thinking that the age of mega Chinese financial listings was over. After all…
Bangladesh’s balancing act between great powers
Recently in a tweet, Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi complained that Prime Minister Narendra Modi “has destroyed the web of relationships that the Congress built and…