Why is Beijing so ‘out and proud’ in using its power in ways that conflict with others’ interests, break international law and breach treaty commitments? Since 2015, we’ve seen Xi Jinping’s government build military facilities …
Articles by: "Michael Shoebridge"
Scott Morrison and Jacinda Ardern will prove the Australia–New Zealand travel bubble works when they meet in Queenstown next week. Breathless commentary suggests it’s going to be a difficult meeting over China policy, but that’s …
Shadow foreign minister Penny Wong has criticised the government over public discussion of the potential for a war with China starting over Taiwan, characterising it as the government seeking domestic political advantage. Even though Wong’s …
Australia has a highly capable, professional military equipped with small numbers of very complex, extremely expensive aircraft, ships, submarines and land vehicles. Australia could fight other middle powers and win, but Australia should only ever …
In November 2018, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced his version of Australia’s ‘Pacific step-up’, which was about taking ‘our engagement to a new level, launching a “new chapter in relations with our Pacific family”’. Under …
There’s a greater likelihood of major conflict in the Indo-Pacific region now than at any time since the end of the Vietnam War. That’s why the Australian government’s 2020 defence strategic update ended the longstanding …
The big positive from the federal government cancelling Beijing’s two Belt and Road Initiative agreements with the Victorian government is that Australia is getting coherent policy nationally. That national policy is centred on not wanting …
US President Joe Biden has done what Barack Obama and Donald Trump wanted to do when they were in office but couldn’t—get a plan in place for a total US and partner military withdrawal from …
Since becoming US president on 20 January, Joe Biden has shown that he’s a changed animal to the vice president he was under Barack Obama. He’s learned some important lessons since then and is applying …
Last week’s meetings in Alaska constituted phase two in high-level US–China contact under the Biden administration. And it was consistent with phase one—Joe Biden’s phone call with Xi Jinping in February. Beyond the histrionics are …
Four years ago, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue was something only officials, not ministers, could engage in and there were studious denials that the grouping had anything to do with China’s use of power and economic …
Debate on Australia’s future submarines is understandably focused on the information that floats out of the Defence Department about France’s Naval Group and the $80 billion program to design and build the boats. It’s very …