Japan is showing increased support for Taiwan in the face of relentless pressure from China. Here’s why Taiwan matters so much to Tokyo and what it’s prepared to do about it.
Scott Morrison will releases the government’s 2020 Defence Strategic Update on Wednesday. The government’s updated defence funding will see investment in capability grow to $270 billion over the next decade.
The Australia-Japan foreign and defence ministers’ ‘two-plus-two’ talks, due to be held in Japan before Christmas, are being deferred because of Marise Payne’s recent illness.
Malcolm Turnbull will visit China this week in his first time there as prime minister. The two-day trip, including visits to Shanghai and Beijing, will juggle trade and political issues.
Australia’s defence forces manage huge swathes of land which are home to valuable ecosystems. The new defence white paper finally acknowledges the importance of looking after them.
To say the defence white paper was “much anticipated” would be an understatement. Was it worth the wait in the end? That rather depends on who you are and what your assessment of the risks Australia faces…
The defence white paper will pledge an additional $29.9 billion in defence spending over the coming decade and support for businesses to innovate in areas such as cyber security and aeronautics.
The coming defence white paper presents an opening for the Turnbull government to place its stamp on national security priorities and to align planning and policy settings with its strategic vision.
Nations such as the United States have treated climate change as a major security threat for years. The Australian government’s forthcoming Defence White Paper cannot afford to ignore the issue.