May
China’s military incursions inch closer to Taiwan
An increasing number of Chinese military planes and vessels have staged drills that have alarmed Taiwan, as it prepares to inaugurate its new president.
- Yimou Lee
- Opinion
- Opinion
China’s grim pattern in South China Sea needs a collective response
A quiet tussle is going on over China’s ambitions to control all of its neighbouring seas. Affected countries need to unite before China miscalculates.
- Jennifer Parker
- Opinion
- Defence
Minimise capability gap while waiting for the new fleet to surface
Ten years from now, Australia will have its most potent navy in decades. In the interim, it will have the least capable in more than half a century.
- Jennifer Parker
April
US commander says China pursuing ‘boiling frog’ strategy
Retiring Admiral John Aquilino has accused Beijing of gradually raising pressure in the South China Sea.
- Demetri Sevastopulo
- Analysis
- Analysis
Xi’s armada is winning the battle for energy in the South China Sea
A fleet of Chinese fishing boats, coast guard cutters and a giant vessel dubbed the “Monster” are making sure of it.
- Philip Heijmans
US vows ‘ironclad’ support for Japan, Philippines against China
President Joe Biden discussed security in the South China Sea with the leaders of Japan and the Philippines at the White House.
- Michael D. Shear
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
Political point-scoring blinkers everyone’s approach to Gaza
Anthony Albanese is right to say the impact Australia can have on the behaviour of either side of the conflict is “limited”. But that has long ceased being the point.
- Phillip Coorey
Australia, Japan, US agree to missile pact against ‘rising threats’
The three countries have agreed to co-operate on a networked air defence architecture to counter China’s aggression in the Pacific.
- Updated
- Matthew Cranston
Australia to join stepped-up patrols in South China Sea: US
The move follows historic joint naval exercises last weekend to push back on China’s aggression in the waterway, which sparked anger in Chinese media.
- Steve Holland and David Brunnstrom
- Opinion
- Inside China
Bond yields rise as investors brace for US-China trade war to escalate
The Biden administration is poised to ramp up protection for high-tech green industries ahead of the US presidential election.
- Karen Maley
March
- Updated
- Australia's China challenge
Wong sounds alarm over China-led nickel collapse
Penny Wong has gone into bat for Australian miners suffering from turbulent nickel prices during talks with her Chinese counterpart, amid accusations Beijing is manipulating the market to favour its own producers.
- Updated
- Andrew Tillett
Singapore and Australia are nations built on aspiration, say PMs
This is an edited transcript of a press conference held by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong, at the ASEAN summit in Melbourne.
China drops ‘peaceful reunification’ reference to Taiwan
China officially adopted tougher language against Taiwan as it released the budget figures as it stepped up defence spending.
- Yew Lun Tian and Laurie Chen
February
- Updated
- Foreign relations
‘We won’t yield’: Marcos’ extraordinary speech to parliament
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos jnr used incredibly frank language for a South-East Asian leader not heard before in Australia’s parliament.
- Andrew Tillett
US support for Taiwan ‘rock solid’ even if Trump wins
Visiting US legislators reassured Taiwan that the United States would stand by it in the face of pressure from China, regardless of who won the US election.
- Ben Blanchard
January
- Opinion
- Xi Jinping
Taiwan can still avoid Ukraine’s chilling fate
The obstacles to a successful Chinese invasion of the island nation following presidential elections on the weekend remain formidable.
- Gideon Rachman
- Opinion
- Opinion
There are bigger shipping choke points than Suez
The South China Sea alone carries trade equivalent to 5 per cent of global GDP, which would make it the fourth-largest economy in the world.
- Tim Culpan
- Opinion
- World politics
What China’s new defence minister tells us about Xi’s military purge
A probe into military corruption has targeted weapons procurement and the rocket force in charge of the country’s missile and nuclear arsenals.
- Christian Shepherd
December 2023
China names naval commander as defence minister
The appointment of Admiral Dong Jun as defence minister was finalised by China’s Communist Party leader, Xi Jinping.
- Updated
- Chris Buckley
Xi Jinping and the year of the foreign policy headache
He wants to repair relationships with the West while at the same time challenging US dominance in Asia. It’s a schizophrenic foreign policy that will be hard to pull off.
- Michael Smith
