7 Sep 2020
Myanmar election: A fractured process
An ongoing pandemic, technical troubles, voter disenfranchisement and ruling party dominance bode poorly for change.
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4 Sep 2020
What is Turkey’s endgame in Libya?
Erdoğan’s strategy in Libya is about domestic legitimacy as much as regional projection – but past failures hang heavy. -
4 Sep 2020
Book Review: The seeds of authoritarianism
Anne Applebaum’s latest book is a forensic and humane study of a world where methods change, but lust for power doesn’t. -
3 Sep 2020
A Biden presidency and the US–South Korea alliance
Can Joe Biden, if elected, heal the rift between the two countries, or will he make it worse? -
3 Sep 2020
FITS and starts
Two years in, has Australia’s legislation to track foreign influence in politics done what it’s meant to do? -
3 Sep 2020
The shrinking of the Australian mind
Australian strategic decision-makers need lessons in our once-grand ambitions – and accomplishments – in world affairs. -
2 Sep 2020
Who’s watching the algorithms?
Facial recognition tech has supercharged surveillance in sometimes troubling ways – and spurred surprising opponents. -
2 Sep 2020
Indonesia’s UN Security Council drive for inclusive peace and security
Jakarta is seeking to boost its regional leadership taking up the issue of women’s roles in peacebuilding. -
2 Sep 2020
A China-Iran bilateral deal: Costs all around
Beijing sees an opportunity in Tehran’s international isolation – but may not realise the tangle it is entering. -
2 Sep 2020
The (un)making of Joko Widodo
Ben Bland examines the tension in Indonesia of a democratic transition with authoritarian spoilers still in place. -
1 Sep 2020
Where to for Sri Lanka’s foreign policy?
“India first” is the message, but economic reality will guide the direction Colombo charts. That points to China, too. -
1 Sep 2020
Covid economic recovery a long-term test for Australian leadership
Australia faces rising unemployment, increased debt and lower living standards, but the challenges are not insuperable. -
1 Sep 2020
China sours on Australia’s wine
Why might Beijing have chosen to use anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations as informal economic sanctions? -
1 Sep 2020
Why is the “Arab street” so silent on the Israel-UAE deal?
Barely any outcry marked this latest shift, which probably reflects recognition of facts on the ground. -
31 Aug 2020
Australia has lost its “best friend” in Asia
Whale hunts and submarine deals gone awry caused prickles, but Abe Shinzo sought special relationship with Canberra. -
31 Aug 2020
The limits of Zoom diplomacy in Asia
A whirlwind of online diplomatic speed-dating doesn’t allow the impromptu conversations where real business is done. -
31 Aug 2020
The bleak reality of sectarian Lebanon
As the Lebanese people are left to pick up the pieces of the 4 August blast, few have faith in the state to help. -
31 Aug 2020
The demographic influence in New Caledonia’s next referendum
Ahead of the second independence ballot, shifting demographics and past voting patterns offer insight into the result. -
30 Aug 2020
Abe aimed to move mountains, setting Japan high goals for the future
A strategic thinker and global leader, Japan’s prime minister was bold in foreign policy and politically strong at home. -
28 Aug 2020
A diplomatic breakdown over “snapback” tests the UN
Dispute over a US call for pre-2015 Iran sanctions has pushed the Security Council to its limit. It’s been there before. -
28 Aug 2020
Jakarta should be wary of Beijing’s South China Sea proposals
“Joint development” is a misnomer when China has no legal stake in what is Indonesian territory. -
28 Aug 2020
Understanding the full spectrum of hate
Extreme violence garners most attention, but the problems arise much earlier – both online and in the real world. -
27 Aug 2020
Economic diplomacy: Spilled milk and foreign wages
The government blocks a sale to a Chinese dairy firm, overseas remittances stay afloat, and ministers talk frameworks. -
27 Aug 2020
Indo-Pacific strategy: Before justifying the means, identify the ends
Facing uncertainty of where “strategic competition” is headed, first look for the ideal outcome. -
27 Aug 2020
Australia needs the workers, the Pacific needs the jobs
Striking the right balance between backpackers and the seasonal workers is key to Canberra’s neighbourhood ambition. -
26 Aug 2020
America’s very unusual conventions
Following on the Democrats’ big show of unity last week, Republicans hit the screens this week to remake their leader. -
26 Aug 2020
Where next for MIKTA?
Tacking the problems created by Covid-19 appear to be beyond this particular example of middle-power activism. -
26 Aug 2020
A post-pandemic trade revival
The shadow trade minister sets out a four-point plan for Australia to turn an unparalleled crisis into an opportunity. -
25 Aug 2020
A measure of change in Myanmar election
With a slate of new parties and shifting alliances, a repeat of the NLD landslide of 2015 is unlikely. -
25 Aug 2020
The killings in the Philippines grow more brazen
The recent murder of a well-known activist signals a turning point in the campaign to eliminate dissent. -
25 Aug 2020
The delusion of India trying to throttle China’s maritime trade
Rowdy debates about going for China’s “jugular” in the Malacca Strait should not obscure the practical difficulties. -
24 Aug 2020
Why Navalny matters
Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny threatens the Kremlin because he stands for a peaceful, democratic Russia. -
24 Aug 2020
Kashmir, a year on from the change
Revoking special status hasn’t resolved militancy or improved the local economy – both supposed goals of the move. -
24 Aug 2020
Europe’s big bonds and the prospect of a boon for Australia
Hundreds of billions will be devoted to Covid-19 economic recovery, and with it comes a huge investment opportunity. -
24 Aug 2020
The Hariri verdict and the fate of Hezbollah
The ruling on the 2005 assassination of the Lebanese PM will be a lasting stain on the party, but not its end. -
21 Aug 2020
Hidden seams in the UAE-Israel deal
It’s all about Iran, right? Actually, the agreement has more to do with managing the US and China. -
21 Aug 2020
Book Review: The deadly legacy of the Cold War in the modern world
The anti-communist purge in Indonesia in the 1960s is retold in a compelling examination of US Cold War policy. -
20 Aug 2020
Australia and Sri Lanka: Air connectivity in the Indian Ocean region
The success of the two countries’ naval cooperation shows the potential for expanded partnership. -
20 Aug 2020
Australia doesn’t need to choose between guns and butter
The country’s options in defence, aid and diplomacy are not as financially constrained as might be feared. -
20 Aug 2020
In Malaysia’s Covid “infodemic”, crime is all too easy
A crackdown on the spreading of false information is unfair if people don’t have the means to spot it. -
19 Aug 2020
The Democrat and the world’s biggest democracy
Indians have embraced the US vice-presidential nominee as one of their own, even if her politics might clash. -
19 Aug 2020
As Pakistan and Saudi Arabia drift apart, China moves in
A growing schism between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan points to new alliances in the Muslim world. -
18 Aug 2020
Diplomacy and global governance after Covid‑19: Prepare for change
Centralised decision-making and tighter budgets are here to stay, with pointless political talkfest out of the way. -
18 Aug 2020
Kamala Harris: Where does Australia feature in her worldview?
What we know about Joe Biden’s running mate is she presents as a centrist internationalist. And she could be president. -
18 Aug 2020
Foreign policy identity politics is a dangerous path
Populism reduces choices and promotes inflexibility. Australia’s foreign policy and national security require restraint. -
17 Aug 2020
The essence of timing in politics
The UAE earned goodwill for a deal with Israel, but the US is still struggling to win backers for its hard line on Iran. -
17 Aug 2020
Book review: “The false promise of liberal order”
A contrarian view on a cherished historical narrative and the necessity of “dark bargains with illiberal forces”. -
17 Aug 2020
Sri Lanka’s elections: Another step in the wrong direction
The consolidation of Rajapaksa rule promises to accelerate what is already a swing back towards repressive government. -
14 Aug 2020
Diego Garcia: The US has a clear choice
The Mauritian ambassador to the UN on recognising the country’s sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. -
14 Aug 2020
From Santiago to Sydney, opening Latin America with fibre-optic cable
While no panacea, a new cable link is an unexpected chance for greater trans-Pacific ties away from superpower rivalry.