27 Jun 2022
Insights from Africa as China stumbles in the Pacific
Investment, infrastructure, and influence building – what worked for China before may not again elsewhere.
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27 Jun 2022
Unpacking the China/Timor-Leste bilateral agreements…
…and the unfolding geopolitical rivalry around them. -
27 Jun 2022
This year’s Pacific elections marginalise and isolate too many
As 2022 national polls unfold, it is evident that a global decline in democracy is disadvantaging the most vulnerable. -
27 Jun 2022
Full throttle: Australia’s advantages alongside Azerbaijan
Geopolitical change opens the chance to capitalise on goodwill for a potentially valuable partnership. -
27 Jun 2022
India-Australia relations: Positivity might be coming at a cost
The tricky terrain of maintaining values and of keeping pace with changing colours in the Australian-Indian community. -
17 Jun 2022
The British Indian Ocean Territory and the rules-based order
In claiming sovereignty over Chagos, London privileges Western interests. And breaks international law. -
14 Jun 2022
Hyundai takes the driver’s seat in Indonesia’s EV market
With net zero emissions targets looming, Southeast Asia’s biggest car market is setting the pace on electric vehicles. -
13 Jun 2022
Public holiday reading: the Queen’s Birthday
What explains the fascinating and “strange persistence of monarchies”? -
10 Jun 2022
Penny Wong dives deep into the audacity of the Oceanic Pacific
Nurturing relationships is paramount to break down unequal power dynamics – especially in working for women rights. -
10 Jun 2022
How the Abe era reshaped Japan’s foreign and security policy
Abe Shinzo put in place a strategy that will not only endure but also influence other nations in view of China. -
10 Jun 2022
India’s inconsistent adherence to the Women, Peace and Security agenda
Sending women to serve as peacekeepers is laudable. But at home, women continue to be marginalised. -
9 Jun 2022
Stemming the tide of piracy in Southeast Asia
The laws set by the United Nations 40 years ago no longer suit the fight against modern-day crime on the high seas. -
9 Jun 2022
Thailand seeking to profit from a global food crisis
The war in Ukraine has highlighted weaknesses in Thailand’s policymaking and prompted cartel behaviour … again. -
8 Jun 2022
Timor-Leste, China and Australia, and the influence contest
Fostering connections with a new generation of democratic leaders offers Australia an edge in its island neighbour. -
8 Jun 2022
China-Solomon Islands pact: Reading between the lines
The new security deal highlights Beijing’s drive to strengthen its grasp on political favour and regional resources. -
8 Jun 2022
The Pyongyang problem for the Quad
North Korea poses a challenge for regional security, and so often China has stood to benefit from such instability. -
7 Jun 2022
Wong’s Bahasa pitch to Indonesia
Australia will benefit by drawing more of its multicultural character into senior diplomacy. -
7 Jun 2022
Is Vladimir Putin sick?
What rumours about the Russian president’s health reveal about the Kremlin – and the rest of us. -
7 Jun 2022
PNG’s elections: dangers that lie on social media
Facebook has a major reach in PNG, making the sheer volume of suspicious and inauthentic content online a big concern. -
6 Jun 2022
A flare up in China’s deliberate pattern of aggression
The intercept of an Australian patrol over the South China Sea escalates a “grey zone” conflict to a dangerous level. -
6 Jun 2022
Proceed with caution: high-speed rail for Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur
The potential connectivity benefits for two of Asia’s big cities are huge. The obstacles are many. -
3 Jun 2022
Global food threats: a chicken and egg story
“Temporary disruptions” carry a long term risk. But unwinding international supply chains could send farmers backward. -
3 Jun 2022
Labor should create a “Regional Carbon Bank” for ASEAN and the Pacific
An urgent demand for clean electricity infrastructure requires needs a dedicated, multilateral agency in support. -
2 Jun 2022
Economic diplomacy: New Labor ministers are facing up to old issues
Reshaping policies on the Pacific, Indonesia and domestic manufacturing is already revealing a changing of the guard. -
2 Jun 2022
Knowledge is power: A small investment for a big return
Australia should see that training rights advocates across the region can be an effective means to bolster democracy. -
1 Jun 2022
Competing with China in the Pacific will backfire
Co-operation, not competition, provides the best chance for Australia to enhance ties with Pacific Island countries. -
1 Jun 2022
Water torture: Asia‑Pacific’s “WASH” crisis in need of solutions
Access to clean water is not only a development challenge but one for geopolitics, too. -
1 Jun 2022
Don’t saddle Pacific Islands with disaster debt
It would be immoral for high-emitting countries to put an extra burden on nations suffering more extreme weather events. -
31 May 2022
Multilateralism matters again
The world’s big challenges – and main priorities for Australia – are best tackled by cooperation. -
31 May 2022
Roe vs Wade: The extraterritorial dimension of abortion politics
Anti-choice views have shaped US – and Australian – bids to block support for family planning in developing countries. -
31 May 2022
Japan-Australia: building a hydrogen supply chain
Efforts to develop a network for cleaner energy in the Indo-Pacific marks a practical step for closer relations. -
30 May 2022
Would China? Australia’s chance to back women police in the Pacific
Promoting gender equality and enhancing maritime law enforcement will ensure Australia stands apart. -
30 May 2022
Australia can’t stay silent on decolonisation in the Pacific
As Canberra and Paris repair ties, presenting France as a “Pacific country” would undermine regional independence. -
30 May 2022
War in Ukraine: Gloomy prospects
What both sides might eventually have to settle for to end the fighting – and when – is far from clear. -
27 May 2022
A tale of two countries: interpreting The Kashmir Files
Once famed for their secular constitutions, India and Singapore have taken different tacks on religious vilification. -
27 May 2022
Labor’s Pacific plan: ticking the economic box
Tightening up on fees charged for remittances will ensure millions of dollars get to households across the region. -
27 May 2022
Ukraine: The view from Warsaw
More than offering neighbourly support, Poland wants to ensure Russia suffers a strategic defeat. -
26 May 2022
“Black ships”, the Quad and space
Satellite technology underpins the attempt to tackle China’s illegal fishing. -
26 May 2022
Albanese steps cautiously through the Quad wrangle
Japan’s media enthusiastically covered the “diplomatic debut” of Australia’s new PM, expecting continuity over change. -
26 May 2022
Where to for trade policy?
Australia is building the micro foundations for global cooperation. -
25 May 2022
PNG’s new health plan: “Leaving no one behind is everybody’s business”
A homegrown effort to empower healthy communities will still benefit from sustained international engagement. -
25 May 2022
Australia enters the post-party phase of Western democracy
Get used to governing with wafer-thin majorities or as a minority. -
25 May 2022
Pacific youth: challenges today need the leaders of tomorrow
On climate, geopolitics, recovering from pandemic, and more – it’s vital to engage youth populations across the region. -
24 May 2022
Engaging with Southeast Asia: more than aid
The sentiment is right, Australia needs to strengthen ties with the region. But don’t rely on aid to deliver. -
24 May 2022
Rejuvenating DFAT: increasing diversity and becoming less insular
Harnessing the experience and skills of the entire Australian community is the foundation for strong diplomacy. -
24 May 2022
Why the Middle East matters to Australia
The region may not dominate in the way Southeast Asia or the Pacific does at present, but it has before and can again. -
23 May 2022
PNG and the Solomon Islands-China security agreement
While respecting Solomon Islands sovereignty, regional solutions to regional problems are not yet fully exhausted. -
23 May 2022
China: The Morrison legacy and beyond
Labor is expected to persist with most of the Coalition’s foreign and defence policies. But useful changes can be made. -
20 May 2022
A strategy for uncertain times
Is a case-by-case approach good enough for Australia to respond to the great and developing regional challenges? -
20 May 2022
Lebanon: Celebrating small change
An independent streak featured in national elections but how much it matters will only become clear in hindsight.