China
China’s “spy ship” that wasn’t off the coast of Australia
As Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was about to call a national election on 28 March, a Chinese state-owned marine research vessel Tan Suo Yi Hao was quietly…
What’s next in the US trade conflict?
What is next in the US trade conflict with the rest of the world? At 25%, US tariffs on most auto imports will see US car prices rising unless those tariffs, too, are paused…
Comparing Chinese and Australian aid in Tonga: Visibility, pageantry and performance
Australia is Tonga’s largest aid partner but on the ground in the capital Nuku’alofa it certainly doesn’t feel that way. “China Aid” logos adorn trucks and public buildings,…
Electrifying geopolitics: Tesla vs BYD
One potentially revealing way of thinking about the respective strengths and weaknesses of the American and Chinese approaches to politics and economics is to consider the…
What’s in a name? China tests Trump’s resolve on Taiwan
China’s People’s Liberation Army this week deployed the aircraft carrier Shandong alongside 19 warships in military exercises encircling Taiwan. Initially conducted without an…
Analyses
Trapped in debt: China’s role in Laos’ economic crisis
Laos is trapped in a severe debt crisis with no resolution in sight, threatening a decade of economic and social malaise. This Analysis examines the drivers of the Lao debt crisis…
A grand bargain between Trump and Xi?
Asked about potential cooperation with China, Donald Trump declared: “China and the United States can together solve all of the problems of the world, if you think about it.” He…
Yes, some of China’s educated youth just asserted sovereignty over Australia
Last month, three Chinese naval vessels conducted live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea without prior notification to Canberra while on a voyage circling Australia. The drills not…
The Philippines walks a tightrope with Chinese aid
At last week’s Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, the Philippines’ Armed Forces Chief didn’t mince words, calling on India and South Korea to join an Indo-Pacific “Squad” to push back…
Cutting through the narrative: What China’s deep-sea cable-cutter really signals
A weekend headline from the South China Morning Post declaring “China unveils a powerful deep-sea cable-cutter that could reset the world order” caught plenty of attention and…