Today
I was a diplomat in Taiwan. Australia’s security depends on it
On Taiwan, the question is not whether to join a future war, but rather how Australia can protect the status quo of peace.
Yesterday
Rare Shanghai Symphony tour keeps soft diplomacy flowing
Founded in 1879, Shanghai SO is Asia’s oldest orchestra, surviving even Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution when Western classical music was banned.
Disagreeing with Xi will be the real test of China ties
Albanese’s overly diplomatic tone risks casting Australia as deferential to the Chinese Communist Party, and inadvertently playing into Xi Jinping’s charm offensive.
Hawks ignore how Australia’s China trade pays for AUKUS
The big mistake made by critics is that they only see risks from the economic relationship with China. In fact, one of the benefits is enhanced security.
This Month
‘Australia deserves respect’: PM rebuffs critics over Trump chat
Anthony Albanese says the delayed first meeting with the president is not hurting Australian interests, with other countries faring worse on trade.
Albanese vows ‘year of delivery’ as dominant Labor hits parliament
The prime minister will command one of the biggest ever majorities when MPs arrive for the first parliamentary sitting since the May election.
Demands over Taiwan need not sink AUKUS, says former Biden aide
Ely Ratner, ex-assistant secretary of defence for Indo-Pacific security, says pressure on Australia to prepare for war is an opportunity rather than a threat.
‘Red light blinking’ over China that ASX investors can’t ignore
China’s property sector is still in deep trouble, and that’s bad news for iron ore giants. The great ASX rotation from banks to miners may be on shaky ground.
China bars top US banker from leaving the country
The exit ban comes as tensions remain high between Washington and Beijing.
Government, business reject criticism of PM’s China ‘working holiday’
As Anthony Albanese flew home, the opposition said his six-day visit lacked tangible outcomes and was just a photo opportunity.
Albo’s China trip | Why NAB’s under pressure | Is AI a bubble?
This week, rating how the prime minister went in Beijing, a bank boss’s drinking comes under scrutiny and are we seeing a repeat of the dot com bust?
Asian ‘superfood’ that helps you sleep is set to go big in Australia
Jujubes can help with everything from insomnia to depression, according to Chinese medicine. Canberra has signed a deal to make them easier to import.
Beyond the Wall: Albanese’s high-stakes China play
As the prime minister is criticised over the extent of his China sightseeing, the government insists it is playing the long game and that face time matters.
PM refuses to say he trusts Chinese President Xi
Anthony Albanese has wrapped up his diplomatic tour of China, talking up the renewed relationship as the Coalition criticises parts of the trip as indulgent.
Why a visit to the panda enclosure is never just about pandas
China used to give pandas to strategic allies. Now it loans them out, but it also isn’t afraid to use them as punishment.
Peter Varghese is wrong. AUKUS is our path to defence self-reliance
Australia shouldn’t give in to every US request, but quitting would be reckless. A capable navy, centred on nuclear submarines, underwrites our security and economy.
Albanese eases Chinese fears over east coast gas reservation
The prime minister reassured Chinese gas companies that supply contracts won’t be cancelled, but ruled out watering down foreign investment rules.
In Pictures: 8th Australia-China CEO Roundtable
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with executives from Australian and Chinese businesses in Beijing.
We let China rig the trade system and now we’re paying for it
Beijing’s pervasive and predatory practices have distorted global manufacturing for almost two decades and undermined faith in the multilateral trading system.
China’s media warns Albanese of US meddling in regional ties
The Global Times described the China-Australia relationship as “flying in the stratosphere” but warned of “third-party interference”.