Australia has unveiled a new National Interest Framework which integrates security considerations into domestic economic policy, aiming to secure economic resilience and security amidst changing global power structures and increasing geopolitical tensions. But Australia has not yet placed strategic economic diplomacy at the forefront of the framework. Managing Australia’s security environment requires emphasising the importance Continue reading »
Asia
In Asian media this week: America bolsters defence ties with Tokyo, Seoul and Manila. Plus: Diplomat a strong voice for polite countries; India planning Ukraine peace effort; BRICS nations interested in Belt and Road scheme; Beijing to unleash domestic demand; Olympic swimmers awesome but archers more so. The US is fortifying its anti-China Western Pacific Continue reading »
Amidst the spat with Beijing over safety of its troops on Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal, the Philippines is becoming increasingly stretched. Pooling all available resources to deal with one of the worst oil spills in many years in Manila Bay could mean playing down conflict with Beijing. The dispute over the Second Continue reading »
Following the 7 October Hamas outrage Australia has been suffering an outburst of race and religious hate. Lawyer Jillian Segal has been made a “special envoy” to counter antisemitism. A similar appointment is expected to confront Islamophobia and challenge the alleged linkage of Muslims with extremism and terror. Indonesia has more citizens following Islam than Continue reading »
Beijing is projecting an image of China as a crisis deal-maker with peace as its priority, as Asian media are reporting this week. China has been active in recent days, taking the first steps towards seeing talks replace battles. It has turned its attention to Ukraine, Palestine and the main South China Sea flashpoint. It Continue reading »
“An almost daily occurrence. At least eight schools hit in the last 10 days, including six @UNRWA schools. The war robbed the girls and boys in #Gaza of their childhood & education. Schools must never be used for fighting or military purposes by any party to the conflict. Schools are not a target. The blatant Continue reading »
The title question deserves a cynic’s response: Only when the country next door becomes a military dictatorship and mates with China. Then we might wake up. Continue reading »
The Australia China Joint Communique of December 1972 is the foundational document underpinning bilateral relations ever since. It is not a long document, and at a cursory glance appears quite simple. Recently, however, some commentators have questioned its language and suggested it is ambiguous, particularly concerning our government’s position on the status of Taiwan. A Continue reading »
It has been said, ‘the barbarians are at the gates,’ but with NATO they have already stormed the citadel, and having done so they now want to spread their madness to Asia. Why would Asia, a continent without war for 45 years want to have anything to do with a war-mongering organisation like NATO, one Continue reading »
Something very dangerous happened when the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) held its meeting in Brussels. In its communique after the meeting on June 14, 2021, it identified China as a “systemic challenge” to areas “relevant to Alliance security”. A repost from July 4, 2021 The implicit message was clear: Nato would like to expand its Continue reading »