21 Mar 2022
The Gulf’s diversification dilemma
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine puts Saudi Arabia and the UAE in an awkward spot in relations with the United States.
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21 Mar 2022
Does the Quad Plus add up?
The four-way security group should walk its talk about an inclusive region by stepping up dialogue with other countries. -
17 Mar 2022
Washington rediscovers “nuclear responsibility” in the Ukraine crisis
Australian scholar Hedley Bull saw special obligations for great powers to avoid the worst possible catastrophe. -
15 Mar 2022
Common enemies and instinctive friends
Presenting the world as one of binary choices can undermine good policymaking. -
10 Mar 2022
Ukraine: The United States re-establishes its credentials
Against the backdrop of Putin’s invasion, Biden’s ability to rally allies is winning support. -
3 Mar 2022
Australia and the crisis in Europe: threats and opportunities
A global contest of values and interests – and sharply divergent visions of order - is now dramatically intensified. -
1 Mar 2022
What if Trump wins again?
It would be folly to ignore the threat to US democracy. Australia needs to prepare against the possibility. -
24 Feb 2022
Economic diplomacy: Slow dividends for Australia from ASEAN spending
Amid the Ukraine sanctions showdown, an Indian trade deal looms as a pre-election win for the Morrison government. -
24 Feb 2022
The election for the future of the internet
A battle for authoritarian control of the internet is underway at the most important UN body you’ve never heard of. -
22 Feb 2022
Damage limitation and US nuclear strategy
In an atomic world, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. -
17 Feb 2022
Okinawa’s vocal anti-US military base movement
Environmental damage and gendered violence are flashpoints on the tiny island dominated by US troops. -
16 Feb 2022
Joe Biden’s new Indo-Pacific Strategy: A view from Southeast Asia
Rather than trying to push ASEAN to confront China, the White House has made an important gesture for unity. -
11 Feb 2022
Kick-starting America’s Pacific diplomacy
Trying to force a “choice” with China would be a mistake. But US can win plenty of good will living up to its promises. -
9 Feb 2022
Delivering promises will show steel in Quad
Presidents Xi and Putin make a deliberate show of solidarity, but Quad partners should focus on boosting defence ties. -
7 Feb 2022
Defining Biden
By asking “What do Republicans stand for?” the president can bring his own domestic and foreign priorities into focus. -
2 Feb 2022
How China views “strategic competition” with the United States
Contrasting official readouts of the recent Biden-Xi summit offer an insight in Beijing’s attitudes on world order. -
29 Dec 2021
An AUKUS surprise – Best of The Interpreter 2021
An extraordinary decision put Australia at the centre of regional defence debates. -
23 Dec 2021
Myths that stir trouble in the South China Sea
A major shipping route, yes, but vital? False claims about the value of these waters only make diplomacy harder. -
22 Dec 2021
India remains divided about AUKUS
Something about the new Australia, UK and US deal suggests it could detract from the value and usefulness of the Quad. -
20 Dec 2021
European security: Putin ups the ante with NATO
Why is Moscow making proposals it must know are unacceptable? -
15 Dec 2021
Crisis stability as a priority in US-China relations
Arms control with China will look very different from arms control with Russia. -
14 Dec 2021
Why isn’t Australia putting diplomacy first?
Canberra is out of step with its key allies with one of the most potent tools its international arsenal. -
2 Dec 2021
Economic diplomacy: Free trade vs economic resilience
From Chinese iPhones to university classrooms, trade in services is being redefined. -
2 Dec 2021
Honouring the dead on the path to Korean peace
Recovering troop remains and negotiating denuclearisation are vital to end-of-war declarations on the Korean peninsula. -
1 Dec 2021
Kurt Campbell on what America is for, “rather than what we’re against”
The White House “Asia tsar” spoke with Lowy Institute Executive Director Michael Fullilove on the shape of the region. -
15 Nov 2021
Is Australia relevant?
Neighbours in Southeast Asia may not be “forced to choose” but rather “left behind”. -
12 Nov 2021
Jake Sullivan on the challenges “no one country can solve”
The White House National Security Adviser stressed the chance for cooperation even in a challenging global era. -
11 Nov 2021
Australia and the American far-right conspiracy
Covid tyranny? Could the fevered imaginings of the post-2016 Trump era end up colouring the US-Australia relationship? -
8 Nov 2021
Indonesia-Australia: Deeper divide lies beneath AUKUS submarine rift
Indonesia is committed to “standing in the middle” between the United States and China and using ASEAN as a buffer. -
4 Nov 2021
Economic diplomacy: Supply chains, sanctions, and Telstra Pacific
From ports to productivity, the pandemic has only exposed longstanding economic resilience issues in Australia. -
2 Nov 2021
Arms control is not just about arms
Getting US-Russia arms control talks on track can weaken the Russia-China partnership and strengthen US-Vietnam ties. -
29 Oct 2021
What Australia needs to ask itself about the United States
As the US embraces “strategic competition”, its impetuous nationalism has implications for Canberra. -
27 Oct 2021
How to save the Summit for Democracy
Another platform for meaningless democracy rhetoric would be a step backwards. -
27 Oct 2021
AUKUS? Quad? FOIP? A fragmented approach cannot counter China
Only a coherent policy for the Indo-Pacific will work. The West needs to offer a strong economic balance to Beijing. -
21 Oct 2021
Economic diplomacy: Los Angeles port pips China as Christmas grinch
Amid an emerging global trade supply chain crisis, Australian economic policy advisers are more reserved about risks. -
21 Oct 2021
US-China: tiers of cohabitation
A new model of great power relations should begin with accepting the enduring need for coexistence. -
19 Oct 2021
Europe’s time to find its superpower
AUKUS was the final reminder that European leaders need to make a break from reliance on US security on the continent. -
18 Oct 2021
America’s doughnut shaped Indo-Pacific strategy
As Washington’s pivot to Asia begins to take shape, showing up in person and walking the talk will be deal-breakers. -
14 Oct 2021
AUKUS: Why Beijing didn’t go ballistic
China’s reaction was in words not deeds. Another high-profile case may have influenced its attitude. -
11 Oct 2021
Biden has patience for the age
The President’s critics paint an old man struggling with detail but overlook the strength that comes from perseverance. -
7 Oct 2021
Economic diplomacy: Japan’s new PM joins the (supply) chain gang
New research shows Australia may be an export diversification role model. -
6 Oct 2021
With Biden’s lukewarm diplomacy, North Korea runs hot and cold
The vague North Korea policy from the White House has left all parties unsure what the United States hopes to achieve. -
6 Oct 2021
AUKUS: What happens if the Republicans play the Trump card?
A White House change of guard could mean Australia needs to reassess its values under a more nihilistic regime. -
5 Oct 2021
In defence of AUKUS
This is not only about nuclear-powered submarines; it is about a strengthened US commitment to Australia. -
16 Sep 2021
North Korea’s calculated restraint
Pyongyang is giving Washington a taste of its own “strategic patience” medicine. -
16 Sep 2021
How nuclear subs could transform Australia, its alliance and Asia
First thoughts on the consequences of a truly momentous decision. -
16 Sep 2021
AUSMIN is a chance to refocus Biden’s Indo-Pacific strategy
For all the talk, there is little evidence that Washington is treating the region as a decisive priority. -
15 Sep 2021
US engagement in Southeast Asia: How much will be enough?
Complaints about America’s attention to the region need to be put in proper context. -
13 Sep 2021
Iran’s energy diplomacy
Tehran knows its hand when it comes to playing the energy card across the region. -
10 Sep 2021
The right climate for Indonesia-United States cooperation
If Washington is to judge its trade partners on environmental measures, Jakarta actually has a good story to tell.