Articles by: "Graeme Dobell"
China responsible, lots at stake

Remember a decade ago when the US appealed for China to be a responsible stakeholder? Congratulations, Washington. Wish come true. China sure is responsible for a lot of things happening strategically and economically. And a …

China rises, China acts

China is starting to give Asia a big case of initiative fatigue. Too many ideas, too much activism. As Simon and Garfunkel crooned, ‘slow down, you’re moving too fast!’ Xi Jinping confirms he’s the most …

Do you know the way to Shangri-La?

The Asian security dialogue is about verbal jabs and thought balloons. And policy signalling and point scoring. And, ideally, some meeting of minds, reaching towards actual agreement. The Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the 14th Asia Security …

The US and China: cause, effect and uncertainty

In his undergraduate years the US Defence Secretary, Ashton Carter, did a double major in Medieval History and Physics. It was perfect preparation for Asia today—arcane and complex history speaking directly to modern mysteries. At …

Tony Abbott and a Japanese sub

Tony Abbott wants a Japanese submarine. To repeat: Australia’s Prime Minister really wants a Japanese boat. If Australia hadn’t embarked on a ‘competitive evaluation process’ pitting Japan against France and Germany, this hack would argue …

An optimist’s toast for Australia and Indonesia

This post has been adapted from a recent ASPI panel discussion ‘Australia and Indonesia: getting back on track’. The full video of the event is available here.  As a born optimist, I share Benjamin Franklin’s sentiment—misquoted …

Reassessing Malcolm Fraser

Malcolm Fraser, Australia’s 22nd Prime Minister, died in March 2015, at the age of 84. Fraser was Prime Minister from November 1975, to March 1983. This is part of ASPI’s new Strategic Insights paper, Reassessing Malcolm …

Who rules in writing Asia’s rules?

The Asia Pacific is going through a vivid and significant rule-making tussle. It’s unusual because rule-making and norm formation usually involve inching through decades. Power hierarchies tend to shift gradually and thus rules, by definition, …

Indonesia and Australia, together apart

Indonesia recalled its ambassador from Canberra because Australian intelligence eavesdropped on the Indonesian president and his wife. Now Australia recalls its ambassador from Jakarta because Indonesia has executed two Australian drug smugglers. The same diplomatic …

Malcolm Fraser as pragmatic panda hugger

International policy is deeply serious work—vital to nation and people, and deadly in effects. Yet oft times it lurches from furore to fiasco, via farce to straight-out funny. The utter pragmatism of Malcolm Fraser’s embrace …