Today
The hippy hotelier upping the ante in Bali luxury
We’re a lab for showing those greenwashing monkeys in Bali that not everybody wants to spend their holidays in a concrete shell, says John Hardy of his fantastical jungle resort.
- 21 mins ago
- Ian Neubauer
This Month
Indonesia’s remote new capital looks like a disaster
President Joko Widodo’s plan to create a city on an old timber plantation is late and over budget.
- Joseph Rachman
June
Putin vows trade, security with North Korea
The Russian president pledged his unwavering support in a letter published by North Korean state media on Tuesday ahead of his planned visit to the country.
- Hyonhee Shin and Josh Smith
All change as Prabowo prepares for the top job
Economic nationalism has been a constant in Indonesia and the incoming President has some firm views on the topic.
- Emma Connors
Indonesian coal baron gets bumper payday from offloaded Rio mine
Eight years after the wealthy Salim family snapped up the Mount Pleasant operation in NSW, the mine has delivered it a dividend of $273 million.
- Elouise Fowler
May
- Opinion
- Opinion
Forget defence, agriculture is key to Prabowo’s Indonesia
Indonesia is obsessed with food self-sufficiency, and free lunches for children was a key election promise from the new president. Australia can help him with both.
- Robert Law
China hails ‘new beginning’ with US-allied South Korea, Japan
China, South Korea and Japan are trying to manage mutual distrust amid the rivalry between Beijing and Washington, and tensions over Taiwan.
- Hyonhee Shin
- Opinion
- Iran
President’s death shows an Iran with few cards left to play
The death of president Ebrahim Raisi opens the way for a dynastic succession to Iran’s supreme leadership. The regime’s chief goal now is protecting the status quo.
- Patrick Gibbons
Incitec Pivot blames gas prices for $498m fertiliser write-down
But the company said it could double returns if it sold those struggling operations to Indonesia’s PT Pupuk Kalimantan Timur and focused only on explosives.
- Simon Evans
Stellantis, Vale in nickel talks in Indonesian coup
The smelter deal would bring a rare Western investor to Indonesia, the world’s biggest producer of a commodity critical to making electric cars.
- Updated
- A. Anantha Lakshmi and Harry Dempsey
- Opinion
- South China Sea
China’s grim pattern in South China Sea needs a collective response
A quiet tussle is going on over China’s ambitions to control all of its neighbouring seas. Affected countries need to unite before China miscalculates.
- Jennifer Parker
- Analysis
- China relations
Why Australia could benefit from engaging with China on clean energy
A new report provides the framework for a forward-looking Australia-China relationship, identifying vast potential for economic co-operation.
- James Curran
April
US commander says China pursuing ‘boiling frog’ strategy
Retiring Admiral John Aquilino has accused Beijing of gradually raising pressure in the South China Sea.
- Demetri Sevastopulo
US, Chinese defence chiefs hold talks
The phone call comes as US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping have sought to manage tensions; the two leaders resumed direct military talks last year.
- Idrees Ali
- Opinion
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The risks to Biden of Israel going rogue against Iran
The problem is that ‘ironclad’ support can be read as a blank cheque to Israel to take whatever military action it sees fit — confident that, when the chips are down, America will have its back.
- Updated
- Gideon Rachman
South Koreans vote in major test for President Yoon
Some 44 million people were eligible to vote in the election, which will determine the direction of the 300-seat National Assembly.
- Nicola Smith
- Opinion
- East Asia Forum
China has prioritised security over economic growth
The US must avoid setting its strategic goals in a way that implies it is trying to keep China eternally weak and isolated.
- Updated
- David Lampton and Thomas Fingar
March
- Analysis
- Critical minerals
Why BHP’s nickel struggles to match Indonesia’s
A large green premium would be needed to put integrated Australian nickel producers like BHP on par with Indonesian rivals.
- Peter Ker and Elouise Fowler
- Analysis
- Climate policy
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.
- Emma Connors
- Analysis
- ASEAN
Sense of urgency as Australia finds its true international identity
There is a meaning to be extracted from the ASEAN summit for Australia’s international identity.
- James Curran