The protracted deliberations over joining AUKUS pillar two suggest New Zealand is hoping questions of security, trade and domestic opinion will be solved in time. That’s unlikely.
In a fresh assault on Wong Former Prime Minister Paul Keating has accused Foreign Minister Penny Wong of rattling “the China can” and declared the chief of ASIO, Mike Burgess, runs “a goon show”.
Young Southeast Asian leaders want greater opportunities to connect with like-minded Australians on issues related to the environment and social and human rights.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, right, and his partner Jodie Haydon arrive for the gala dinner at the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta. Sept. 6, 2023.
Mast Irham/POOL EPA
The prime minister has the foreign stage coming to him as he prepares for the special ASEN summit in Melbourne. But with the Dunkley Byelection only days before, he may have other things on his mind.
South-East Asia is anxious about the Ukraine war’s impact on regional economies. For New Zealand, that presents more pressing geopolitical priorities than confronting China.
Fishing net covers the coral reef in the Thailand’s marine national park.
Suwat Sirivutcharungchit/shutterstock
If ASEAN demands its member nations try to stop illegal and unregulated fishing, but without requiring matching financial commitments, we will continue to lose the battle against illegal fishing.
Myanmar’s seat was left empty at a recent meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Achmad Ibrahim/AFP via Getty Images
It is the time for ASEAN to reevaluated the implementation of 5 Points of Consensus and explore more effective measures that could put pressure on Myanmar’s military junta.
South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin (left) talks to China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, prior to an ASEAN meeting last week.
Mast Irham/Pool/EPA
Beijing has dialled back its aggressive stance and is adopting a more proactive and confident diplomacy to counter US encirclement.
Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie (C) and Ghana’s founder and first President Kwame Nkrumah (L) during the formation of the Organisation of African Unity.
STR/AFP via Getty Images
Myanmar’s two-year resistance to the brutal military regime barely registers in the West. But Ukraine shows that Western military force can be successfully used to support a democracy under siege.
Indonesia is once again the Chair of ASEAN in 2023.
Muhammad Adimaja/Antara Foto
While we should be extremely thankful that some political prisoners are being released from Myanmar’s jails, we should also recognise they should never have been there in the first place.
Indonesia could initiate and encourage a military-to-military engagement with Myanmar, so that Myanmar can consider the example of Indonesia’s military reform.
Sudanese people march in Khartoum during one of many protests against the 2020 coup. More than 100 have been killed.
EFE-EPAS/Stringer
The AU needs to address two main problems to steer Africa into a prosperous future – the use of unconstitutional means by some leaders to cling to power and disregard for the rule of law.