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Pacific diplomacy

This Month

Ed Chung is the chief executive of TechnologyOne.

Canberra should help us help the Pacific, for everyone’s gain

The government should not think businesses can be coerced into operating in the region but remove disincentives, writes TechnologyOne chief executive Ed Chung.

  • Ed Chung
Japan’s Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi, from left, India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Washington.

Quad could get surveillance role under Trump: Wong

Foreign Minister Penny Wong met other members of the Quad security dialogue in Washington, including US Security of State Marco Rubio.

  • Matthew Cranston
Donald Trump earlier this month said that he and Xi had been communicating through representatives.

Trump, Xi hold telephone call on TikTok, trade, Taiwan

The US president-elect called the chat a “a very good one” and the Chinese leader said that relations can be mutually beneficial.

  • Doina Chiacu and Yukun Zhang
The tit-for-tat US-China technology  wars are heating up.

Can Chinese chips beat Taiwan in the global tech race?

SMIC’s stock rally shows – at least to mainland investors – that China can build a self-sufficient semiconductor ecosystem. But the reality could be different.

  • Updated
  • Jessica Sier
Pat Conroy, Minister for Defence, International Development and the Pacific, at the Pacific Islands Forum in Suva, Fiji.

Business tapped to foil Chinese influence in the Pacific

The Albanese government is reminding Australian companies that keeping their social licence means operating beyond the nation’s borders.

  • Andrew Tillett
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Taiwanese president William Lai.

Seven truths on why Taiwan always will be China’s

Some Australian media recently provided a platform for false Taiwanese views about the one-China policy. Here are the reasons they are wrong.

  • Xiao Qian
A Russian Beriev A-50 airborne early warning and control plane. Such planes initially were a huge advantage for Russia against Ukraine.

The new, very dangerous Chinese warplane that isn’t a stealth fighter

The mysterious airborne early warning and control aircraft could give the Asian nation a huge advantage in any military action against Taiwan.

  • David Axe

December 2024

Treasurer Jim Chalmers with CBA’s Matt Comyn and Angus Sullivan.

How CBA’s $3 fee gambit nearly blew up the bank’s political capital

Bankers inside Commonwealth Bank’s retail division figured a small branch cash withdrawal charge was innocuous. They were wrong.

  • Lucas Baird and James Eyers
Papua New Guinean Prime Minister James Marape (left) and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) with Peter V’Landys the Australian Rugby League Commission chairman (centre) announce a PNG rugby league team.

NRL team confirmed for PNG in $600m deal that comes with a catch

The deal, bankrolled by taxpayers, will collapse if the Pacific country signs a security agreement with China. Anthony Albanese argues it’s an investment in Australia’s security.

  • Updated
  • Andrew Tillett and Zoe Samios
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President of Nauru, David Adeang after the signing of the visitors book ahead of a bilateral meeting at Parliament House in Canberra.

Albanese blocks China with $140m Nauru deal

The new treaty with the Pacific nation gives Australia a veto over security, banking and teleco agreements – and comes with a $140m price tag.

  • Andrew Tillett
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto take part in a welcome ceremony in Beijing.

Prabowo’s first overseas visit was a shambles

The Indonesian president was so charmed by Xi Jinping that he agreed to a Chinese draft of a joint statement that gave away his nation’s longstanding positions.

  • The Economist
Papua New Guinea is a leading contender to land the NRL’s 18th franchise licence.

PNG allocates $150m for NRL team by 2028

About $A37.5 million will be provided by the national government, half of which will be allocated to grassroots and community.

  • Zoe Samios

November 2024

Australia’s ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd and US President-elect Donald Trump.

US leadership ‘indispensable’ even with Trump: Rudd

In his first comments since the former president’s comeback, the Australian ambassador in Washington says he is ready to work with the new White House.

  • Andrew Tillett
Defence minister Richard Marles meets with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and director general of the Japan Defence Agency, Gen Nakatani, on November 17.

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.

  • Updated
  • Andrew Tillett
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has invested significant capital in ties with PNG and his counterpart James Marape.

Defence considers recruiting from PNG to see off China’s influence

In the jockeying for influence, the South Pacific’s largest nation has emerged as a key target given its proximity to Australia and rich natural resources.

  • Updated
  • Andrew Tillett
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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto take part in a welcome ceremony in Beijing.

Did you miss the Indonesian president’s November surprise?

While Australians were absorbed by the US election, the new leader of their large neighbour was busy strengthening ties with Russia and China.

  • James Curran
Senator Marco Rubio (left) and Congressman Mike Waltz.

Trump wants ally Australia to ‘stand up to China’

The president-elect’s picks for secretary of state and national security adviser both want Australia to do more to tackle China’s aggression in the Pacific.

  • Updated
  • Matthew Cranston
ANZ has posted an 8 per cent fall in cash profits, below what had been expected by the market.

ANZ Bank and Chalmers nearing deal to offset China

Negotiations are in the final stages for the federal government to support the bank to remain in nine Pacific countries, under a plan to secure its presence in the region.

  • John Kehoe
Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

Taiwan considers big US defence purchases to please Trump

The deliberations come as countries consider how to avoid becoming a target of the new administration, given the Republican’s call for allies to spend more.

  • Demetri Sevastopulo and Kathrin Hille
TSMC discovered one of its chips had ended up in a processor made by Chinese telco Huawei.

TSMC stops advanced chip shipments to Chinese customers

The Taiwanese maker of most of the world’s cutting-edge computer chips discovered that one of its products ended up in a processor made by Chinese telco Huawei.

  • Meaghan Tobin and Ana Swanson

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/pacific-diplomacy-1n4y