Before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, it was fashionable to suggest that his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, would approvingly scrutinise Russia’s military performance and its implications for a Chinese military attack on Taiwan. …
What is it about some Westerners that makes them so singularly lacking in self-awareness as they assume a position of moral and intellectual superiority to issue condescending pronouncements on non-Westerners? In their chapter in the …
After a prolonged lead-up, Germany finally delivered on its decision to send heavy weaponry to Ukraine. But the Gepard (Cheetah) anti-aircraft tanks that Germany is offering are antiques that lack ammunition. The manufacturer has only …
The federal government’s 2022–23 budget allocates $9.9 billion for boosting Australia’s cyber defence capabilities. The expansion forms part of the government’s commitment to the AUKUS pact, building out the military workforce to support its objectives. …
In a recent article on this forum, Peter Dean argued that a rethink of the Australian Defence Force’s land-based strike requirements is needed to ensure it won’t be outgunned both qualitatively and quantitatively in a …
Australia has suffered a litany of crises over the past three years—fires, floods and a pandemic. Crises sap the resources and capacity of government, requiring careful yet immediate management and clear, effective messaging. The way …
A senior Asian diplomat quips that China’s leadership fears the numbers two, three, four, five and seven. The superstition is the way the numbers are stacking up. China agonises over the bilateral alliances represented by …
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd says China’s security deal with Solomon Islands was a ‘politically illiterate’ move if Beijing is sincere about improving relations with Australia. Speaking at an ASPI event in Canberra on Thursday, …
The effort to grow the Australian Defence Force to 101,000 by 2040 has put recruitment under the spotlight and it’s important that Defence’s ambitions on Indigenous participation are a crucial part of this drive. For …
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine is so savage precisely because he believes Russians and Ukrainians are one people. To understand his decision to invade, we should listen to how he himself explains it—and …
The US ‘hub and spoke’ bilateral alliance system is no longer fit for purpose and America, Australia and Japan are actively seeking to network security arrangements in the Indo-Pacific. A recognition of the advantage of …
Just for a change, there’s a bit of heat around discussions of the future of armour and surface ships. I thought ASPI analyst William Leben’s recent Strategist piece was a good one in its attempt …
