This Month
The AI economy has a massive vulnerability
Subsea cables channel data and power, but they face escalating dangers, and multiple incidents in the past few months have highlighted those risks.
Australia’s allies must step up in the Indo-Pacific
Readers’ letters on dealing with Donald Trump’s isolationism, looking to Congress for tariff relief, Rio’s clean energy move, Peter Dutton’s track record, and a CANZUK alliance.
Labor says supporting Ukraine an easy choice, but what about Taiwan?
The Chinese live-fire fiasco showed the government’s short-term domestic political considerations are hampering our ability to deter and damaging our credibility as an alliance partner.
Worried about the world? Rudd argues the 1980s were scarier
Kevin Rudd has attempted to soothe strategic anxieties as Donald Trump upends the international order.
Albanese is as misinformed on the US alliance as live-fire drills
The petulant demand of tribute to the Trump empire and his transactional ethos surely now challenges the agreed balance sheet between Australia and America.
Dutton pledges $3b to buy new fighter jets amid Chinese warships row
The opposition leader hopes to re-establish the Coalition’s traditional strength on national security.
February
Albanese all at sea when it comes to fine details
The controversy over the Chinese live-firing drills in the Tasman Sea has come at an uncomfortable time for Anthony Albanese.
Emboldened China signs Pacific mining deal amid Tasman naval drills
A minerals exploration deal between the superpower and the Cook Islands is Beijing’s latest push for influence in a region historically aligned to the West.
Australia locks out China from PNG ports as military tensions flare
Australia’s $4 billion taxpayer-funded Pacific bank has signed a deal to upgrade one of Papua New Guinea’s major ports and keep Beijing out.
January
Why DeepSeek’s breakthrough is Australia’s new China challenge
Australia needs a high-risk foreign vendor framework that is public and applies to critical infrastructure and democratic institutions, as well as government.
US calls on Australian banks to step up Pacific ‘soft power’ push
Pressure on Australian banks to remain in the Pacific is likely to stay under the Trump administration, America’s second most powerful diplomat says.
China poised to hit its 2024 growth target: Xi
The Chinese president’s disclosure capped off a year of economic uncertainty, with the growth goal initially seen as a ‘target without a plan’.
December 2024
Australian fighter pilot to be extradited over China training claim
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said he considered all evidence before him before deciding father of six Daniel Duggan should face court in the United States.
Australian rare earth miners warned on US-China trade war
Australian critical minerals companies reliant on China for processing or production could face more headwinds as the Beijing-Washington trade war heats up.
November 2024
No ambassador, we are not ready to get tight with China on defence
While the relationship must progress, glossing over the facts and real risks is dangerous – Canberra and Beijing are far from ready for closer defence ties.
Trump’s ruthless new trade tsar is surprisingly ‘nice’
Jamieson Greer shares his boss’ tough stance on Beijing. But he is also known as a French-speaking, co-operative diplomat.
Ray Dalio bets Trump steeling America for China war
The billionaire hedge fund manager said investors should “pay attention” to policy shifts that result in national security for energy and critical minerals.
Australia, US, Japan to strengthen military ties in face of China threat
Defence ministers agreed to a new “commitment to consult” over regional security issues and invited Japanese troops to train in Darwin.
October 2024
Why these super-cheap flights to Europe could be under threat
Australians are prime beneficiaries of Chinese airlines’ ultra-low airfares to Europe. But the European carriers want Brussels to level up the playing field.
King & Wood Mallesons global chief executive to step down
Sue Kench will depart at the end of the year and retire from the partnership next year, as the firm doubles down on its Sino-Australian alliance.