6 Dec 2024
Hans Blix: The arms control Einstein who turned 96 this year
A consensus-builder who believes nuclear weapons are never in safe hands, no matter who holds them.
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5 Dec 2024
The unilateral trading system: US trade policy for Trump, again
Trump wants systemic changes and his recent tariff threats show that no issue is off limits. -
5 Dec 2024
Loyalty over competence: A historical novel for the modern age
Malcolm Knox’s dark comedy about power and paranoia in Stalin’s Russia carries an enduring wisdom. -
5 Dec 2024
Location, location, location: Why Ream Naval Base is not the real estate China needed
Artificial islands in the South China Sea have more strategic value than a backwater base. -
5 Dec 2024
The murky waters of Cambodia’s Funan Techo Canal
A 180-kilometre waterway to criss-cross the country, but who pays? -
4 Dec 2024
South Korea’s President must resign
The plotters apparently gave no thought to how South Korea’s liberal international partners would respond. -
4 Dec 2024
Understanding the South Korean crisis and its global implications
The lessons of a self-styled strongman leader overreaching should be a warning to democracies everywhere. -
4 Dec 2024
“Narco-subs” in the Pacific demonstrates need for effective maritime security cooperation
Criminals are always looking for an edge. Listening to what the Pacific needs and coordinating maritime security responses will help blunt the threat. -
4 Dec 2024
Australia’s chance to align global efforts against “hostage diplomacy”
A new senate report has set out sensible recommendations for a fresh approach on wrongful detention of Australians overseas. -
4 Dec 2024
A chip off the Berlin Wall, Bollywood stars and a MAGA hat: Confessions from the collection of a foreign policy nerd
Hopefully, if I embarrass myself, a couple of colleagues will share their wonky mementos, too. -
4 Dec 2024
A digital makeover for the New Colombo Plan will boost Australia’s soft power
Cutting-edge technological tools and youthful enthusiasm. Take the win. -
3 Dec 2024
Is Russia the loser in the fall of Syria’s Aleppo?
Moscow cannot meaningfully aid its ally, and that’s not gone unnoticed. -
3 Dec 2024
Bluesky dreaming? Social media shifts signal tech power and influence
Or does X mark the spot? -
3 Dec 2024
COP29: The climate finance fudge
Acrimonious debate in Baku amounted to a lost opportunity, squabbling over funds when action is needed everywhere for the energy transition. -
3 Dec 2024
What should world leaders read?
Unlike polls and social media, the classics teach humility. -
2 Dec 2024
Australian industrial policy more liberal and less distortionary than most
Australia followed the crowd as a new wave of industrial policies swept the globe. Six months on, it is useful to hold the government to account. -
2 Dec 2024
Central Asia’s Taliban thaw
A decision by Kazakhstan to remove the Taliban from a list of terrorism groups fits with a regional trend toward normalisation of relations. -
2 Dec 2024
Tunnels and trains: The megaprojects reshaping Europe’s economy
Efficiency comes at a cost, however. -
29 Nov 2024
Australia’s banking on the Pacific
Making money in the region is not easy. But links to international finance are essential. -
29 Nov 2024
How “the land of fire” raised the temperature for global climate negotiations
Trust at COP29 in Azerbaijan was in short supply. -
29 Nov 2024
Top jobs must go to the best candidates. International financial institutions should be no different
The appointment of a new Asian Development Bank president highlights the need for a shift to competitive and transparent selection of senior management everywhere. -
29 Nov 2024
As traditional “Anglo” international education destinations falter, Asia-Pacific countries look closer to home
Chinese students are largely driving the surge in international students choosing universities across the region. -
28 Nov 2024
Climate COP out: Weak finance goal and fossil fuel stalemate fail the most vulnerable
The Presidency of Azerbaijan lived up to expectations of weak leadership. -
28 Nov 2024
Maldives ditches “India-Out” for an economic lifeline
The bilateral reset came as a relief amidst a slew of worrisome setbacks for New Delhi in the neighbourhood. -
28 Nov 2024
Is it time to change the clocks to harness the power of solar?
Shifting to “solar alignment time” could lower energy costs, enhance supply reliability, and mitigate climate change. -
28 Nov 2024
Sri Lanka votes for change
Primed for unrest, the country’s elections went off without incident, and a new man-of-the-people has emerged as leader. -
27 Nov 2024
The Pacific disinformation playbook
A surge in connectivity has exacerbated the region’s challenges, undermining trust in science and government. -
27 Nov 2024
Pakistan and China’s diplomatic relations reach a low ebb
A once lauded partnership is being sorely tested. -
27 Nov 2024
Understanding Prabowo’s Natunas gambit with China
Acknowledging a dispute exists does not amount to a tacit endorsement of one side’s claim. -
27 Nov 2024
Shifting the mindset on global challenges
The 2024 Lowy Lecture reinforced the timeless wisdom of coordinated action to tackle international dangers. -
26 Nov 2024
China’s food safety crises: Some oils just shouldn’t mix
Beijing has pledged to tackle food hygiene issues, with the Communist Party’s legitimacy at stake if it fails. -
26 Nov 2024
Balancing the books on Australian statecraft
It should be easier to judge the budget against the warnings of challenging times. -
26 Nov 2024
Joining BRICS+ is not in Indonesia’s interests
An economic ambition will cloud broader impressions of joining what is an inescapably revisionist bloc. -
26 Nov 2024
How Australia risks losing global talent
High costs and closed doors means Australia could lose its value as a destination of choice. -
25 Nov 2024
Critical minerals and the case for human rights in the just transition
Poor labour standards uncovered in the nickel industry should serve as a warning not to repeat past industrial mistakes. -
25 Nov 2024
China-India ties to be more resilient in the Trump 2.0 era
India and China have sought to defuse their military standoff and that will limit the prospect for US interference in their relations. -
25 Nov 2024
Cutting coal power: Indonesia's test case for turning a climate pledge into reality
The technical, financial and legal hurdles to get an Indonesian coal-fired power plant off the grid. -
25 Nov 2024
Weak link or “frontline ally”? Where the Philippines will fit into Trump’s rivalry with China
US-supplied Typhon missiles are on Manila’s wish list but could come with a catch. -
22 Nov 2024
End game at COP29: Green talks in the “Blue Zone”
The best hope is that the final hours are following a predictable pattern of brinkmanship. -
22 Nov 2024
Russia escalates, strikes Ukraine with a new missile, warns West
Putin wants to target Europe’s commitment to support Ukraine. -
22 Nov 2024
This summer, could Australia vs India take cricket’s greatest rivalry out of the Anglosphere?
Talk of cricket diplomacy often prompts a collective eyeroll. Only, it cuts through. -
22 Nov 2024
Trump’s victory is a triumph for authoritarianism, too
A new era of strongman leadership puts the advancement of international cooperation in doubt. -
22 Nov 2024
Pacific Island countries are not just aid recipients. They are also aid donors
Intra-regional support is an important yet overlooked feature of the “Pacific way”. -
21 Nov 2024
Zooming in on climate change: The experience of a virtual COP29 attendee
Flying thousands of delegates across the globe has its own environmental cost – so how effective are global negotiations conducted online? -
21 Nov 2024
Cat-astrophe! What happens when dirty-minded North Koreans meet Iranian nuclear purrfidy
I spy an invisible cat. Two, in fact. -
21 Nov 2024
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21 Nov 2024
Working together in space can enhance worldly ties between Australia and Japan
And the region stands to benefit, too. -
21 Nov 2024
China’s Pacific aid is rebounding and recalibrated
Minor increases in spending and a surge in new deals signal renewed Chinese aid ambition in the region. -
20 Nov 2024
NATO’s best-laid subsea cable security plans
The latest suspected attack indicates NATO needs a new cable protection strategy for European waters. -
20 Nov 2024
Has the time finally come for a European defence?
Talk might be finally giving way to action. Maybe.