Hong Kong: The canary in the coal mine

Hong Kong continues to be wracked by civil unrest as its people protest against Chinese oppression. How did it come to this, what does it signal, and where is it likely to end?

It’s a numbers game of two halves

Manchester City won last year’s English Premier League and have a 36.5 per cent chance of coming top again, according to the numerical analysis of University of Adelaide’s Professor Steve Begg.

Which side are we on?

The protests in Hong Kong started over CEO Carrie Lam’s extradition bill and have turned into a defining issue for the trajectory of China as a state and a society, and for the Chinese state’s relationships internationally.

Why Truman stands taller than Trump

Harry S. Truman was at least 10 centimetres smaller in stature than Donald Trump, but he towers above him as a national and international leader.

Bringing Russia to justice over MH17

Those involved in the shooting down of a Malaysia airliner – and the deaths of 283 passengers and 15 crew on board – during Russia’s proxy invasion of Eastern Ukraine may yet be brought to justice.

Imperfect as Iran is, engage it with diplomacy, not war

Iran is widely seen as an international pariah, and is blamed for supporting terrorists in the middle east and beyond, yet diplomatic engagement could still prove a more productive strategy than military confrontation.

Balancing the rise of China

It’s clear that China wants to become the predominant power in Asia. Why should that be a concern for Australia? The answer goes to the heart of the intersection of our interests and values in foreign policy.

Putin and Xi plot an oppressive digital future

China and Russia are very different nations in many ways, but both are ruled by authoritarian regimes determined to assert themselves on the international stage while crushing political dissent at home and both use the internet to achieve their goals.

Australia needs a clear and consistent China policy

Our government should take a leaf out of China’s book by strongly promoting our national interests, speaking plainly in defence of our core values, and explaining our strategic priorities to the domestic public.

Thirty years after Tiananmen it’s time to face facts and join forces

Thirty years after Tiananmen we need to spend less time trying to fix China and more time shoring up our ability to take care of ourselves, our societies and all of our citizens.

Tiananmen Square, 3–4 June 1989

The Chinese Communist Party goes to extraordinary lengths to suppress discussion of the brutal student massacre which crushed pro-democracy protests 30 years ago, but memories of the tragedy remain as intense as ever.

Australia’s “strategic personality” in a changing world

Beyond the tourist images of barbecues and beaches, what is Australia’s ‘personality’ in international affairs, and how might that change in the future?