November 2024
SE Asian defence chiefs in security talks with US, China
The closed-door talks put US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun in the same room a day after a snub at ASEAN.
October 2024
Albanese retraces history, promotes Asia’s collective power
The prime minister says Australia’s peace and prosperity resides firmly in South-East Asia.
Aussie gas will keep flowing, Albanese tells Japan
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used his first face-to-face meeting with the new Japanese leader to talk up security of gas imports.
China to restart Aussie lobster trade in major breakthrough
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said rock lobsters would be back on tables in time for Chinese New Year celebrations in January.
US-China rivalry colours our ASEAN relations
ASEAN believes that neutrality is the best defence against regional conflict. But it is too reluctant to help maintain the regional balance.
Albanese likens China talks to US-Soviet Cold War ties
Anthony Albanese is heading to the ASEAN summit for two days of talks with regional leaders where security will be a top priority.
Albanese to press China on trade
The Association of South-East Asian Nations leaders’ summit will take place in Vientiane, Laos this week, the latest international push by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Albanese to bring on housing showdown
With just 15 sitting days this year to pass key legislation, Labor is rapidly losing patience with the Greens and the Senate.
September 2024
Australia is on the map but not on the minds of South-East Asia
Greater economic engagement with South-East Asia is needed not only for Australia’s sustained prosperity but also for its political clout as a bona fide Asian power.
Be bold on Asia or miss out, business leaders warned
Australian businesses’ narrow focus on China and North Asia means they are struggling to keep pace with the billions of investment dollars pouring into South-East Asia.
August 2024
US military eyes escorting Philippine ships in South China Sea
The head of the US Indo-Pacific command said he was open to discussions about escorting Philippine ships amid growing clashes with China in the disputed waters.
Australia should focus on rules, not ‘rules-based order’, in Asia
Support for the transition from a US-led world to a multipolar world is gaining traction.
June 2024
Premier Li Qiang’s visit has Malaysia wanting more from China pivot
The absence of President Xi Jinping, who sent his number two in his place, has dejected some in the government, according to Malaysian officials and observers.
History will judge the new era of US protectionism harshly
The unseemly contest by Joe Biden and Donald Trump to outdo each other in trade protectionism will make the world become less prosperous and more unpredictable.
March 2024
Australia’s under-investment in ASEAN is about them, not us
South-East Asian nations need to become attractive to foreign investors through deregulation and establishing independent and incorruptible legal systems.
Indonesia is still a tricky proposition for foreign investors
The Albanese government has promised $2 billion to help mitigate perceived and actual risk across South-east Asia. But that’s not a straightforward task.
Koalas, curveballs and China: Walking a fine line in SE Asia
The ASEAN summit underlined that the region is trying to steer a middle course between China and the US. The last thing it wants is to be backed into a corner and made to choose.
Western silence on Gaza proves global order ‘self-serving’: Anwar
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim contrasted demands for China to abide by maritime law or Russia to withdraw from Ukraine with the West staying ‘utterly silent’ on Israel’s actions in Gaza.
China warns against ‘outside’ meddling in South China Sea
Foreign Minister Wang Yi says China had exercised a “high degree of restraint” during maritime clashes in the disputed waterways.
Top law firms eye big growth in South-East Asia strategy
Australian lawyers say work in the region suffers from a perception problem, despite the complex, high-value deals emerging from fast-growing markets.