9 Jul 2020
India’s dilemma: Neither strategic nor autonomous
The long-desired aim of strategic autonomy is still far away. And confrontation with China is much closer.
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9 Jul 2020
Cashing in the chips at the Trump casino
The prospect of a Biden administration has pro-US leaders in the Middle East seeking to keep their political “winnings”. -
9 Jul 2020
What resilience really means as a guide for Australian policymaking
A defensive attitude without greater engagement with the entire global system would leave the country more vulnerable. -
8 Jul 2020
Singaporeans’ tricky exercise in tactical voting
The ruling PAP wants a “strong mandate”, while the opposition relies on electoral quirks and the guesswork of voters. -
8 Jul 2020
Calling out “expansionism”: The Modi way
The Indian PM has deftly turned Beijing’s regular complaints about history back on itself. -
8 Jul 2020
Costly cargo: The plight of seafarers in a pandemic
Is enough being done to look after international crews aboard “flags of convenience” ships and to maintain global trade? -
8 Jul 2020
Consulting on Bougainville’s future: The what, who, how and when
Making progress after the overwhelming independence ballot is as much a question of bureaucratic mechanics as politics. -
7 Jul 2020
Yes, to balance China, let’s bring Russia in from the cold
The West’s isolation of Russia has helped Moscow acquiesce in an expanded Chinese presence it would once have resented. -
7 Jul 2020
China eyes African prospects to iron out trade tension with Australia
Investing in largely untapped iron ore sources in Africa might be Beijing’s answer to diversifying import sources. -
7 Jul 2020
The economics of national security in Hong Kong
China’s new Hong Kong legislation shows how national security has become a part of the state’s economic arsenal. -
6 Jul 2020
Indonesia: Still caught between trade and protectionism
There is little evidence Jokowi sees trade deals as a way to drive liberalising domestic economic reforms at home. -
6 Jul 2020
Beyond Covid, the chance for a broader Australia-Japan relationship
Positive public feelings towards Tokyo show how Canberra can move beyond a narrow focus on security ties. -
6 Jul 2020
The cost of conspiracy in muddling public health messages
A Covid-19 outbreak in Victoria shows the need to counter hate speech, extremist content and misinformation online. -
6 Jul 2020
Book review: The making of Putin’s Russia
How did an uncharismatic former mid-level KGB spy rise to the pinnacle of Russian politics? -
3 Jul 2020
Popular Tokyo governor eyes a second term, and maybe more
Yuriko Koike’s re-election is almost certain, and with the national government out of favour, she might not stop there. -
3 Jul 2020
Australia’s Strategic Update: What it means for Indonesia
Jakarta’s response is likely to be complex and will require deft management by Australian policymakers. -
3 Jul 2020
COVIDcast: The future of globalisation
The latest episode in a podcast to discuss the implications of coronavirus for Australia, the region and the world. -
3 Jul 2020
Southeast Asian democracies in declining health amid Covid-19
An illiberal turn across the region has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Australia should take note. -
2 Jul 2020
Hong Kong: The finishing blow
The new legislation marks the completion of Beijing’s total control and surveillance of every quarter of the PRC. -
2 Jul 2020
Economic diplomacy: Diversification dilemmas
China, India and Australia are all dealing with the costs and risks of reshoring. -
2 Jul 2020
Defence Strategic Update 2020: A first assessment
A candid assessment of Australia's challenges, but will the planned measures be enough? -
1 Jul 2020
India’s TikTok stars collateral damage in Chinese app ban
The move signals that decades of appeasement towards China by a succession of Indian leaders is coming to an end. -
1 Jul 2020
Canada won’t fall for China’s hostage diplomacy
Releasing Meng Wanzhou wouldn’t raise Canada’s standing with China. Worse, it would betray its closest partner. -
1 Jul 2020
Morrison’s defence reset
The Prime Minister wants a defence force for a region which is “poorer, more dangerous and more disorderly”. -
1 Jul 2020
After ASEAN summit, little change on the South China Sea
Despite expectations leaders might collectively rebuke China for its latest actions, the message was more uncertain. -
30 Jun 2020
Chequebook diplomacy in the Pacific: Not just the big fish
Small donors seeking UN Security Council seats are providing more aid to Pacific nations. -
30 Jun 2020
International law takes a step towards Asia
With Singapore a venue for the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, will more Asian countries use it? -
30 Jun 2020
China’s pipeline dream in Pakistan
The plan to transport oil across the Himalayas is a logistical nightmare. Post-Covid economics will make it even harder. -
29 Jun 2020
Solomon Islands gets a lesson in Chinese diplomacy
Thanking Taiwan for aid during the Covid-19 pandemic clashes with the One China policy – at home and in Beijing. -
29 Jun 2020
China’s charmless offensive
The shine has come off what was once seen as China’s deft ability to make friends and wield influence. -
26 Jun 2020
Vale Owen Harries 1930–2020
With admirable chutzpah, Owen believed he could influence the international relations of the most powerful country. -
26 Jun 2020
Hun Manet: A Cambodian dynasty?
The eldest son of Prime Minister Hun Sen is being groomed to take over, but still has to convince key political players. -
26 Jun 2020
COVIDcast: Hugh White on Coronavirus and Asia’s power balance
The latest episode in a podcast to discuss the implications of coronavirus for Australia, the region and the world. -
26 Jun 2020
Finding compromise in the Chagos Islands saga
The US base on Diego Garcia needn’t be an obstacle to a negotiated settlement of a longstanding sovereignty dispute. -
26 Jun 2020
Owen Harries: Never the ideologue
The Welsh-born Australian was a master controversialist who played a key role in Washington foreign policy debates. -
25 Jun 2020
The long wait in Indonesia for a female chief justice in a top court
Indonesia lags in appointing women to key judicial posts and the gender gap in the region is closing at a glacial pace. -
25 Jun 2020
K-pop “stans” unleashed: Hijacking hashtags for social action
Digital disruption can reflect a growing desire to pair fandom with activism. But such a movement is itself vulnerable. -
25 Jun 2020
A crowded house on the Bougainville ballot
With independence negotiations looming, hundreds of candidates are running for house seats, and 25 for president. -
25 Jun 2020
Book review: What’s holding China’s economy back?
The CCP’s discriminatory hukou system is a great obstacle to changing from world’s factory to a service-driven economy. -
24 Jun 2020
A pivot to globalism, but grievances lurk
Covid-19 has reminded Australians that multilateralism matters, while the economic shock has yet to play out. -
24 Jun 2020
Australians look to India more – and don’t always like what they see
Doubts about Indian democracy and its politics suggest the Morrison government has some persuading to do. -
24 Jun 2020
Australia’s shifting mood on climate change
This year’s intense bushfires seemed like the event that would finally move climate policy. Then came Covid-19. -
24 Jun 2020
Generation why? Younger Australians wary of United States
Donald Trump is a big part of this story. But there is also a clear gap in attitudes toward China. -
23 Jun 2020
The goals for Australia to do better
The Sustainable Development Goals are not only for poor nations – they offer a policy roadmap for Australia, too. -
23 Jun 2020
Can inter-Korean peace be salvaged from the latest wreckage?
Mismatched expectations pose a big problem on the peninsula. -
23 Jun 2020
Culture, constitution and controversy in Samoa
What’s behind the proposed bills to codify Samoan customs in law? -
23 Jun 2020
Woe Canada, a second consecutive UN rebuff
Even in a social media age, substance trumps style. There are lessons for Canberra in Ottawa’s Security Council failure. -
22 Jun 2020
Australia-UK trade agreement: Good, boring policy
A deal between two liberalised economies on opposite sides of the globe can only improve a small number of pain points. -
22 Jun 2020
Syria: Thumbs down
New sanctions under the so-called Caesar Act might target the regime in Damascus, but the burden will be felt by locals. -
22 Jun 2020
Australia should support India in the Himalayas
If Canberra wants a “comprehensive strategic partnership” with New Delhi, some courageous steps are needed.