12 Nov 2019 Connecting the dots on the Blue Dot Network Peter McCawley Beyond a press release trumpeting “high-quality infrastructure” and “global trust standards”, things are a bit fuzzy.
12 Nov 2019 Russia’s southern strategy Allan du Toit The pace of Russian re-engagement in Africa and the Indian Ocean region has accelerated as US influence has waned.
12 Nov 2019 North Korea’s deadline logic Khang Vu Pyongyang has declared an end-of-year cut off in the nuclear talks, yet does such a deadline really matter?
11 Nov 2019 Signs of a deal between US and China, and a rethink John Edwards Both countries have good reasons to cool off the two-year trade war.
11 Nov 2019 Australia’s F-35s: Lessons from a problematic purchase Peter Layton The rush nearly 20 years ago to buy the fighter of the future exposed fundamental shortcomings in defence acquisitions.
11 Nov 2019 Review: Australia, real and imagined John Fitzgerald It’s time to inject new content into the hardy ideal of a free and equal Australia.
8 Nov 2019 India draws the line on Kashmir Christopher Snedden New maps issued by India raise some important questions – starting with what exactly they mean.
8 Nov 2019 Beijing’s cryptic blockchain gambit Elliott Zaagman The technology has enormous potential to support good governance. The Party may have something else in mind.
7 Nov 2019 The uncertain fate of Islamic State in Pakistan Adnan Aamir The death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is a major blow, but Islamic State in Pakistan is not dead yet.
7 Nov 2019 Economic diplomacy: RCEP and ASEAN’s new way, plus voting ADB-style Greg Earl What was Factory Asia has made a subtle shift to a consumer-driven Market Asia under the “world’s biggest trade deal”.
7 Nov 2019 Chart of the week: Trump and the US-Australia alliance Natasha Kassam Most Australians say the alliance makes us safer, but also makes Australia more likely to be drawn into a war in Asia.
6 Nov 2019 The Rohingya Football Club JJ Rose Observations from the field after a sobering experience attempting to use sport as a form of aid.
6 Nov 2019 India’s RCEP exit a setback, but not a disaster Jeffrey Wilson With an India–China deadlock out of the way, the path is clear to finalise the historic regional trade agreement.
6 Nov 2019 Protests in Lebanon are a problem for Hezbollah Lauren Williams A rare and unified anti-sectarian agenda could quickly unravel as religious identities and old grievances take hold.
6 Nov 2019 Aid links: the financial boon of open borders, Timor tourism, more Alexandre Dayant Links and stories from the aid and development sector.
5 Nov 2019 India’s clever alliances with island states Ian Hall A multifaceted outreach with Indian Ocean neighbours provides useful lessons in navigating China’s dominance.
5 Nov 2019 The Sino–Russian alliance and what it means for Australia Stephen Blank Moscow and Beijing are closer than ever, increasing threats to Australia’s vital and long-standing interests.
5 Nov 2019 October in Syria: Podcast out now Kelsey Munro Rodger Shanahan unpacks the US withdrawal from Syria and the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Are they linked?
5 Nov 2019 Photo essay: Phnom Penh and China-backed building boom Simon Roughneen Towering over low shops and French colonial–era townhouses grows a new city in tribute to the politics of the present.
4 Nov 2019 China’s slam dunk of the NBA is a game changer Robert E Kelly Western businesses ditching ethics for market access isn’t new, but the NBA’s cowering has finally made it a story.
4 Nov 2019 What 1989 unleashed, and what it didn’t Marcus Colla The story of “post-Wall” Central Europe is not simply a straight line from liberalism’s triumph to its collapse.
4 Nov 2019 Kinship is vital to Pacific disaster response Jeevika Vivekananthan , Tara Cartland As the Pacific cyclone season looms, Australia should look to those already stepping up – the Pacific diaspora.
1 Nov 2019 In search of clarity on Hong Kong’s future Jieh-Yung Lo Hong Kong and China would both benefit from a clear understanding of the city status post-2047.
1 Nov 2019 Film review: Torture, lies, and videotape Sam Hendricks Adam Driver stars as Daniel Jones, who spent more than six years uncovering the dark secrets of the US war on terror.
1 Nov 2019 Out of sight, out of mind? Irregular people movement on the doorstep Henry Sherrell People haven’t stopped trying to migrate in the region, yet Australia’s role has been reduced to that of a bystander.
31 Oct 2019 What Russia wants in a multipolar world Elizabeth Buchanan Canberra should rethink its approach to Moscow, recognising areas of difference yet be willing to see common ground.
31 Oct 2019 Chart of the week: Australian versus Chinese aid in the Pacific Jonathan Pryke , Alexandre Dayant By the numbers, while China promises a lot to the region, it actually delivers far less.
31 Oct 2019 PNG’s supplementary budget: An honest accounting Maholopa Laveil James Marape warned the economy was “bleeding”, and setting out the true fiscal position is a first step to healing.
31 Oct 2019 China, a low-productivity superpower John West A shift from agriculture to industrial work can mask challenges to China’s growth, especially in the services sector.
30 Oct 2019 Towards a peaceful and inclusive Asia Chin Tong Liew Resurrecting the idea of “Asia” can help give smaller states agency to guide China as a responsible and benign giant.
30 Oct 2019 See you in court? A rising tide of international climate litigation Tim Stephens Vanuatu is pushing for international courts to tackle the climate crisis in a move that could put the heat on Australia.
30 Oct 2019 Pacific links: donors jostle for influence, maddening Maseratis, more Alexandre Dayant Links and stories from the Pacific Islands region.
30 Oct 2019 How Africa is breaking China’s neo-colonial shackles Wenyuan Wu Beijing is fending off African resentment over debt and for importing workers – and facing extra competition, too.
29 Oct 2019 Messy is the new order: Succession time in Malaysia Ooi Kok Hin Rather than a personality rivalry between Mahathir and Anwar, a wider decentralisation of political power is underway.
29 Oct 2019 With a UN Human Rights Council seat, Indonesia has a choice Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat , Ramadha Valentine , Dimas Permadi Jakarta could put human rights at the centre of its foreign policy, as well as clean up its act at home.
29 Oct 2019 Soft power, hard weather: Japanese resilience David Walton A ferocious typhoon has tested Japan amid the Rugby World Cup and before the Olympics – and taught valuable lessons.
28 Oct 2019 The vulnerable state of Islamic State Lydia Khalil Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was likely trying to forge an alliance to stave off fighters defecting to other jihadi groups.
28 Oct 2019 The worrying precedent of Turkey’s “safe zone” Rebecca Barber Under international law, one country cannot invade another to seize territory – yet that appears to have been endorsed.
28 Oct 2019 Remembering the “wasman” of Papua New Guinea Paul Slater Australia’s embrace of the Pacific future needs to look to the untold past as well.
25 Oct 2019 In Chile, APEC vs anarchy Erin Watson-Lynn With heavy street protests leading the president to declare a state of emergency, Chile’s big showcase is looking iffy.
25 Oct 2019 Victoria takes the initiative with China Daniel Flitton <p>For reasons perhaps best known to himself, the premier has re-upped the state’s agreement on Belt and Road.</p>
25 Oct 2019 Indonesia’s new cabinet and its human rights implications Olivia Tasevski Jokowi’s appointments will be rightly questioned: is he interested in human rights or the rights of the Indonesian army?
25 Oct 2019 Finally, some plain talk on the Quad Iain Henry The US Secretary of State dropped a fig leaf: Washington thinks the Quad can help put China back in its “proper place”.
24 Oct 2019 Economic diplomacy: Indonesia trade, ASIO business & deglobalisation Greg Earl Balancing national security and national prosperity – a range of views and the call for a range of resources.
24 Oct 2019 ABC: Australia’s waning soft-power star Annmaree O’Keeffe The public broadcaster alone cannot be responsible for Australia’s international voice, so more need to be heard.
24 Oct 2019 Brexit: “Do or die” Lawrence Freedman Boris Johnson swerves from “no deal” to “deal”, while a not-so-anonymous source steers the headlines in his favour.
24 Oct 2019 Trump’s troop withdrawal and what’s next for Islamic State Daniel Flitton , Lydia Khalil Having pre-emptively declared the militant group “100% defeated”, the pull back from Syria raises different threats.
23 Oct 2019 Antarctica and the China test Mark Harrison While Australia’s federal politicians ponder the US-China puzzle, it may be state governments stuck with real choices.
23 Oct 2019 China, the Pacific, and the “debt trap” question Roland Rajah , Alexandre Dayant , Jonathan Pryke Charges of saddling Pacific countries in debt may be overstated, but China’s lending practices still pose risks.
23 Oct 2019 Aid links: development how-to guides, Nobel winners, more Alexandre Dayant A selection of links and stories from the aid and development sector.