The Quad’s ambitions have outpaced its ability to deliver tangible outcomes. As US–China relations move towards managed competition, the grouping’s relevance depends less on strategic signalling and ...

Indonesia’s proposed export scheme for strategic commodities, centred on the new state-owned enterprise Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia, aims to curb trade misinvoicing but raises concerns about ...

Southeast Asian nations are reassessing the United States as a security partner amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and volatility in US politics. But China’s continued assertiveness in the South ...

China–Japan relations have entered their most troubled period since normalisation in 1972, driven less by temporary diplomatic friction than by deepening structural rivalry over Taiwan, military ...

Support for Australia’s right-wing populist One Nation party has surged from 6.5 to 28 per cent in the 13 months since Labor’s May 2025 election win, with immigration concerns appearing to matter more ...

The May 2026 Xi–Trump summit produced mixed results and mixed reactions. Those who see the summit as a success point to the two countries' agreement to pursue ‘constructive strategic stability’, ...

For Asia Pacific governments, the US–Israeli war against Iran is a reminder that conflicts in the Middle East do not stay in the Middle East. Since February 2026, oil has surged past US$120 a barrel, ...

China’s 15th Five-Year Plan signals a gradual shift in Beijing’s maritime strategy from participation to pursuing leadership in global ocean governance. While earlier plans focused on developing the ...

Timor-Leste’s 2025 accession to ASEAN was a diplomatic milestone, but the shutdown of the Bayu-Undan gas field has intensified pressure to diversify an economy long reliant on petroleum revenues.

The final days of 2025 saw Taiwan surrounded by Chinese warships, aircraft and coast guard vessels in what the Chinese Ministry of Defence described as a serious warning to ‘Taiwan independence’ ...

Taiwan’s experience in 2025 revealed the dangers of internal paralysis amid intensifying external pressure. Legislative deadlock, failed recall campaigns and deepening polarisation weakened Taipei’s ...

Despite a rocky 2025, the Pacific islands are entering 2026 with a more assertive posture. The region is pushing ahead on climate justice and self-determination, insisting that development and ...