China’s rising influence in the region has alarmed many defence experts. But the question remains: would Australia ever need to fight China on its own?
Joel Carrett/AAP
Australian aid to the Pacific has been criticised for not focusing enough on infrastructure. But rising Chinese influence is bringing a shift of priorities.
Malcolm Turnbull promised to ‘step up’ Australian engagement with the Pacific last year. Will it continue now that he’s gone?
Lukas Coch/AAP
A key question heading into the Pacific Islands Forum is whether Australia can negotiate a new regional security agreement that heeds Pacific leaders’ concerns.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, pictured at an Australia China Business Council event at Parliament House last week, knows the country can’t afford to shut the door on Chinese investment.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Chinese financing and know-how present both a threat and an opportunity for infrastructure development. Australia can benefit from proactively identifying needs that Chinese investment can help meet.
There are 1,113 Confucius Classrooms in 146 countries and regions across the world.
UniversityofMemphis/flickr
The review of Confucius Classrooms, which promote Chinese language learning, comes amid concerns about foreign influence, soft power and academic freedom.
Australia’s approach to the debate over Chinese influence should be to carefully disaggregate the various problems under discussion in this debate and risk-manage them individually.
Shutterstock
China scholars disagree on the extent of Chinese influence on Australian politics – but it may be there are more points of agreement than most scholars realise.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is sworn in for a second term at the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall.
AAP/Wu Hong
The author of the controversial Silent Invasion argues it’s not the book, but the reaction to it, that has highlighted something troubling in Australian intellectual life.
Clive Hamilton paints a picture of China’s unrelenting determination not only to control those within the country, but also to dominate the world using whatever means at its disposal.
AAP/Wang Zhou
Clive Hamilton’s book is perhaps a useful reminder that we must not be naïve about our relationship with China, but his prescription is the wrong direction for tackling the genuine issues he raises.
The Sam Dastyari episode underscores the need for clear-cut rules to prevent those with links to foreign governments from using money to influence the political process.
The new controversy about Sam Dastyari comes amid deepening security concerns about increasing Chinese interference in Australia.
Lukas Coch/AAP