Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s second visit to China—pencilled in for this month—will come weeks before the People’s Liberation Army’s 98th anniversary on 1 August 2025, a date laden with symbolism as Beijing approaches the military modernisation …
The Australian government’s dispute with the United States over the level of defence spending has distracted our media and public from the core issue. The main driver of increased defence spending should not be requests …
From grey zone coercion to regional surveillance competition, the Indo-Pacific is now in live contest. Yet our national innovation posture is not structured to mitigate emerging risks or leverage strategic possibilities. Innovation is now a …
In the wake of the US strikes on Iran, focus has shifted to how Tehran will respond. Its options range from direct attacks on US bases to exerting pressure on maritime trade through the Strait …
Launched in early 2024 by Britain and France, the Pall Mall Process is one of two global initiatives aiming to set norms to prevent the harmful proliferation of commercial spyware. But unless the process becomes …
The Indo-Pacific’s economic and security architecture is under strain. Strategic competition, supply chain fragility and the contesting of trade norms demand bold moves—greater efforts in strengthening diplomatic and economic ties and supporting the rules-based order. …
Australia and the European Union need to collaborate to promote the adoption of inclusive, safe and sustainable AI in the South Pacific. While the United States and China compete for global AI leadership, the EU …
This year’s Shangri-La Dialogue made one thing clear: we are living in a more dangerous decade. From cyberattacks to grey-zone coercion, climate shocks to supply chain sabotage, the global security landscape is more complex and …
The struggle between China and the US defines this century. Even close US allies are torn by a choice—not between the two great powers but in choosing whether to back the US against China or …
On one hand, Australia strongly opposes acquiring nuclear weapons and backs non-proliferation. On the other hand, it increasingly depends on the US for extended nuclear deterrence. The contradiction is implicit in the AUKUS program, just …
In the Cold War, arms control meant counting missiles and warheads. How does that model work in the cyber century, the drone decades and the AI age? What do you count, and how do you …
Casting aside the long-standing policy called strategic ambiguity, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says America would go to war to stop China invading Taiwan. Hegseth says the Trump administration’s military policy is to pivot from …
