Security in China’s shadow

Australia has implemented some effective responses to the challenges posed by China to its security. But Canberra still lacks an overarching China strategy, according to Euan Graham’s new book “Australia’s Security in China’s Shadow”.

Facing the dragon

China’s decision to place bounties on eight exiled activists, two of whom live in Australia, is part of a pattern of transnational repression, and a typically brazen violation of human rights, personal freedoms and national sovereignty.

Protect the heroes of Hong Kong

The Australian government should strongly oppose China’s egregious attempts to impose its censorship abroad, in contravention of Australia’s democratic values, on Australian soil.

Biden’s right, Xi is a dictator

It’s not every day that a New Zealand prime minister takes China’s side in a disagreement between Washington and Beijing over whether the leader of China is a dictator, but these are extraordinary times.

China’s hidden hand

A new book by Clive Hamilton and Mareike Ohlberg explores how the Chinese Communist Party’s global influence operations strive to undermine Western democratic institutions.

China’s military build up gathers pace

China’s investment in modern military equipment continues apace, but the iron hand of the Communist Party is also hampering the innovation and capacity building required to build an effective military organisation.

China remains the greatest threat to national security

While China is lifting some of the economic sanctions imposed on Australian trade, its long-term aim of dominating the region, coercing its neighbours and ignoring international norms remains as clear as ever.

Disinformation and democratic resilience in Taiwan

Taiwan’s robust democracy is underpinned by freedom of speech, press and association – liberties that China exploits to spread disinformation and try to convince Taiwanese citizens that the only way to avoid war is to support its plans to ‘peacefully’ unify Taiwan with mainland China.

Taiwan’s quest for legitimacy

Despite Communist China’s relentless economic, diplomatic and military battering, democratic Taiwan continues to win friends and protect its position through intelligent application of its soft power resources.

China’s war on history

Fighting historical nihilism has been high on the list of Xi Jinping’s fight for regime security. As China reverts increasingly backwards into an era of thought control and totalitarian rule it is once again the people that suffer.

The power that Beijing can’t match

Taiwan is smaller and has less access to normal diplomatic avenues but does have one advantage over mainland China – its vibrant free society.

Taiwan’s reinvention of diplomacy

The lack of official diplomatic allies isn’t stopping Taiwan from finding ways of winning friends and influencing people.