The prime minister’s visit comes after a fractious year between the two countries, including tensions over China’s role in the Pacific and the postponed election in Solomon Islands.
A leaked draft security agreement seemingly proves Chinese spending ‘bought’ enough influence to get the Solomon Islands government. But such an interpretation misses two key issues.
Taliban fighters investigate inside a Shiite mosque after a suicide bomb attack in Kunduz on October 8, 2021.
AFP
The Taliban say they won’t allow jihadi groups to flourish under their rule. But there is good reason to believe that al-Qaida, IS and other regional groups will benefit from the takeover.
US Vice President Mike Pence with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden. PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, Japan’s Shinzo Abe and Australia’s Scott Morrison were among the leaders of the 21 economies making up APEC.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
Summit season is usually a bit of a bore - worthy subjects lost in acronyms and diplomatic niceties. Not so this year as US-China tensions tore at the fabric of multi-lateralism.
A Trump administration raises many questions about how America’s relationships with other world powers will play out.
Reuters/Lucy Nicholson
Far from ‘making America great again’, Donald Trump’s sloganeering will deepen mistrust of US motives and irreparably damage any prospect of co-existence, let alone a more co-operative world order.
Much to talk about: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang chat during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
EPA/Kenzaburo Fukuhara
India wants closer engagement with its neighbours as it aspires to become a global manufacturing hub. Narendra Modi’s visits to China, Mongolia and South Korea are all about promoting this agenda.
The relationship with Indonesia is more important than the protest over two dead drug traffickers and Australians need their ambassador in Jakarta.
AAP/Oscar Siagian
During his first year in office, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has conducted a surprisingly energetic and focused foreign policy. Economic diplomacy is one of its principal tools with business delegations…
Hell and high water: a German anti-piracy ship returns from an African tour.
Ingo Wagner/EPA
The Crimea crisis has focused our attention on the vexed question of Europe’s energy supplies. To a great extent Europe depends on Russia for its oil and gas, which gives Vladimir Putin disproportionate…
What will defence policy under Tony Abbott and new defence minister David Johnston look like?
AAP/Dean Lewins
The Abbott government talks a good game on defence. While in opposition, new defence minister David Johnston slammed Labor for failing to fund the grand promises of the 2009 Defence White Paper. Now in…
West Papuan refugee Amos Wainggai is on board the Freedom Flotilla, headed for Papuan shores from Australia. What will it mean for our relations with Indonesia?
AAP/Cleo Mary Fraser
Given the extreme sensitivity with which the issue of West Papua is viewed in Indonesia, the “Freedom Flotilla” heading from Australia to the Indonesian-controlled territory is sure to create tension…
Relations between Australia and Indonesia may become strained as allegations of spying and failure to follow protocol on the Australian side are released.
EPA/Mark Irham
Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd’s so-called “PNG solution” to the asylum seeker issue has attracted much comment from within both Australia and Papua New Guinea. It has also stirred the pot in Indonesia…
Australia’s foreign aid commitments play an integral role in the nation’s ‘soft power’ and regional security.
Marion Doss
Amidst the controversy over Julie Bishop’s Guardian interview earlier this week, many of the interesting facts about foreign policy under a putative Coalition government were lost. Notably, the opposition’s…