November
Wong sends warning on China reshaping the region
But the foreign minister says Australia can maintain a productive relationship with Beijing and that sovereignty and economic ties are not mutually exclusive.
September
Australia set to sign ambitious defence treaty with Papua New Guinea
The deal comes amid concern over Beijing’s growing influence in the Pacific, and is timed to coincide with Anthony Albanese’s visit to Port Moresby this week.
Europe pledges troops for Ukraine but Australia yet to decide
The Continent’s leaders forged ahead with security guarantees for Kyiv, even as Donald Trump was vague about US commitments if a peace deal is forged.
China unveils missiles, drones and lasers. But will they work?
New torpedo-shaped drones and an array of hypersonic weapons that can be fired from land, sea and air would be a serious threat for the US and its partners.
August
Xi Jinping tightens grip over China’s scandal-hit military elite
The Chinese leader’s crackdown reveals how deep his concerns run, not just for battlefield readiness but about political survival.
Xi Jinping’s spy games on Chinese Australians are only getting bolder
Surveillance and harassment of Australian citizens and residents have stepped up, and call for novel responses from Australia.
AFP charge Chinese woman with foreign interference
Australian Federal Police have charged a Chinese woman with foreign interference relating to the covert collection of information.
July
Europe to stockpile critical minerals due to risk of war
General Carsten Breuer, the German chief of defence, warned last month that Russia could attack an EU member state within the next four years.
June
Trump’s Iran strike restores US role in global security
The supposedly isolationist Trump agenda has not stopped the US attack on Iran’s nuclear capacity. That is reassuring for security in the Indo-Pacific.
Australia, EU explore security pact in bid to ‘defend peace’
Europe’s ambassador in Canberra has revealed that the Albanese government has started discussions about a bilateral pact.
May
‘Things can spin out of control’: India, Pakistan trade military strikes
The tit-for-tat blows between the two nations came amid soaring tensions over last month’s militant attack on tourists in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir.
April
Election campaign leaves defence questions unanswered
The real leadership test for both sides of politics this Anzac Day is whether they can match remembrance for our military past with readiness for what’s coming.
Russia will try again for a South-East Asian airbase, say strategists
Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam could be pressured, according to military analysts, after Indonesia rebuffed a Moscow request for a military presence.
December 2024
China to have 1000 nukes by 2030, says Pentagon
The annual China Military Power Report said the People’s Liberation Army had expanded its arsenal by 20 per cent in the 12 months to mid-2024.
November 2024
SE Asian defence chiefs in security talks with US, China
The closed-door talks put US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun in the same room a day after a snub at ASEAN.
July 2024
Rex needs a buyer willing to spend big on planes
The government is downplaying its interest in a bailout, but may have no choice but to stump up to help keep the regions connected.
June 2024
Why China is using axes, fists to fight border disputes
Experts say that China’s use of simple weapons rather than firearms has been a tactical choice, but it may not always prevent escalation.
Putin’s Asia tour seen as show of defiance to the West
Analysts are scrambling to assess the significance of agreements struck by the Russian leader in North Korea and Vietnam.
Kim vows ‘full support’ for Putin’s war
The Russian president arrived for his first visit to the DPRK in 24 years, amid warnings of more arms transfers to Moscow for its war in Ukraine.
May 2024
Little-known vice president named as interim Iranian president
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has named the first vice president, Mohammad Mokhber, as caretaker, in line with the constitution.