Two millennia of history is no guide to the next two decades. But it can help to provide a broader perspective, in this case on China and its relationship with its southern maritime neighbours. Much …
A range of states are willing to exploit social media to achieve their goals by shaping geopolitical narratives, warping the media and information environment to their advantage, and fooling people into believing something they shouldn’t. …
It’s difficult to make predictions, especially about the future. This is particularly the case with the trajectory of GDP growth. That’s one of the problems with tying defence funding to a specific percentage of GDP, …
Sea state Iran says it will hold joint naval drills with Russian and Chinese forces ‘in the near future’. According to General Ghadir Nezami Pour, the exercises will be held in international waters in the …
On 1 October, to mark the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, President Xi Jinping will deliver a speech that unreservedly celebrates the Chinese Communist Party’s record since 1949. But, despite Xi’s apparent …
Kiribati and Solomon Islands switching diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China is about more than the Chinese Communist Party’s relentless campaign to isolate Taiwan. Certainly, it’s important to PRC President Xi …
Although most eyes in Australia have been on Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s visit to Washington to meet with US President Donald Trump, it’s not the only game around. This week, thousands of dignitaries and diplomats …
Since the creation of the Bretton Woods system 75 years ago, countries have been coming together in pursuit of global public goods, giving rise to both the international trading system and a global financial safety …
Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s White House visit crowns a sustained and disciplined execution of the MacArthur manoeuvre on President Donald Trump. Employing the MacArthur method involves embracing the power of America while displaying enthusiasm for …
In this episode, Genevieve Feely chats with Tess Newton Cain to unravel the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Tuvalu. Non-resident ASPI fellow Sofia Patel returns to Australia to discuss gender and counterterrorism, PhD life, and …
The world An attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities knocked out over 5% of the world’s daily crude oil production on Saturday. See Al Jazeera for the evidence put forward by Saudi Arabia accusing Iran …
Suddenly, opinion polls find that Ukrainians are more optimistic about their future than are citizens of most other countries. That will come as a surprise to many, given Ukraine’s manifold challenges. And yet it is …
Despite the best efforts of law enforcement agencies, regulators, international government organisations, diplomats and a complex framework of multilateral legislative and cooperative arrangements, the cost of financial crime and money laundering globally and regionally remains …
At long last, Israel has taken a step back from the religious nationalist abyss into which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been leading it. In the 17 September parliamentary election, the country’s second in five …
It is an enigma worthy of the genius of an Arthur Conan Doyle or an Agatha Christie. What is indisputable is that a ‘murder’ has been committed: Saudi oil installations in Abqaiq and Khurais have …
The beat Canadian intelligence officer accused of espionage The director-general of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s intelligence unit has been charged with obtaining and storing classified information with the intent of sharing it with a …
After World War II, Asia emerged from years of conflict and centuries of colonialism. The United States quickly became the main guarantor of regional security, signing bilateral defence treaties and establishing preferential trade and investment …
With many drug users making the shift from heroin to methamphetamine and crystal methamphetamine (‘ice’) over the past decade, Australians know there’s an addiction problem here that could become significantly worse. Increasing use of synthetic …
ASPI has previously noted that we have come to take precision in modern warfare for granted. But weapons alone cannot achieve precision effects. Precision relies upon a large, often invisible infrastructure that develops the targeting …
Protests continue to rock Hong Kong. Throughout the summer—and now pressing into autumn—demonstrators have blocked city streets, shut down the airport and fought running battles with police. Sparked by an anti-civil-liberties bill, the unrest is undergirded by shifts …