This Month
US to ‘take back’ Panama Canal from Chinese influence
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed to deepen security co-operation with the Central American nation and said China would not be allowed to “weaponise” the canal.
March
EU retaliates with tariffs on $45b of US goods
The European Union hit back against Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium within hours of them taking effect, escalating a global trade war.
January
China corporate profits set for third year of declines
The Asian giant is grappling with a two-speed economy, with strong exports offsetting weak domestic demand as households cope with a deep property slump.
October 2024
China accuses Australia of war crimes, ‘systemic racism’
China’s foreign ministry’s sharp criticism comes after Australia’s UN ambassador called out China’s treatment of minority Uyghurs.
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.
Why Australia’s view of the Gaza war matters to Israel
Leading Israelis are aware of mistakes their country has made, and warn of a “volcanic eruption” against the Netanyahu government, but they have been blindsided by the rise in antisemitism in Australia.
May 2024
China and Russia have one bed but different dreams
Russian weakness has enabled China to emerge as Eurasia’s dominant power. But it also limits the partnership of the two.
The US-China trade war has helped polarise ASEAN
Regardless of their alignment or dependence on one side or the other, South-East Asian states need to stay focused on their common regional interests.
March 2024
‘Cost blowouts’: China fails to deliver megaprojects
China is unlikely to meet $77 billion in Belt and Road Initiative commitments in South-East Asia, research shows.
With Russia distracted, China makes its move in Central Asia
China is the only major country to recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan, a move that could give it access to large lithium and copper deposits.
Mystery lender chases ex-PwC staffer for $30m debt from failed project
Bill Zheng and his Investors Direct Financial group were part of a consortium that proposed to develop the $30 billion Australian Education City near Melbourne.
February 2024
What’s Plan B if America never goes back to normal?
Paul Keating has once again asked whether the US alliance shapes Australia’s view of the world more than it should.
Why China can’t stop its decline
The conventional wisdom on China has shifted but still misses the bigger picture.
November 2023
Warning to developing countries over Chinese hacking
As Pacific leaders gather against the backdrop of China-US competition, a new report highlights how Chinese hackers managed to burrow into Cambodian networks.
Indonesia’s president pushes US on what happened to the $31b
President Joko Widodo questions the West’s “commitment” to helping developing countries cut climate emissions.
October 2023
How Xi’s Belt and Road went from pet project to debt bomb
Ten years after its launch, Xi Jinping’s $1 trillion infrastructure project now boasts about 150 members and has made China the world’s largest creditor.
September 2023
China bolsters ties with gas-rich Timor-Leste
China’s Xi Jinping has met with Timor-Leste’s Xanana Gusmao, promising greater economic cooperation, including possibilities for joint oil and gas exploration.
What was the point of Modi’s G20 summit?
India will tout the meeting as a victory, but the bloc remains deeply divided, which was demonstrated by Xi Jinping’s no-show.
China learns nothing from the financial crises of others
Beijing’s reluctance to bite the bullet on bad assets looks like an error that the whole global economy may pay for.
August 2023
How Fiji got a nasty lesson in Chinese authoritarianism
The Pacific nation watched in shock as Chinese security agents marched what it said were 77 criminal suspects onto a plane and flew them away for detention in China.