The Thucydides trap in Western tech

For the first time in modern memory, the nation posing the most threats to Australia – under sea, on the sea, in the sky, in cyberspace and in space itself – is our largest trading partner.

Don’t let China write the AI rulebook

Liberal nations must strengthen AI governance and promote ethical and responsible use of the technology to prevent an aggressive, authoritarian nation like China shape the global AI rulebook in its own image.

Will Chinese models win the AI price war?

If Western technology companies don’t want to be left behind by their cheaper Chinese counterparts, they must find a better balance between intelligence and affordability.

Friend and foe

Australia needs to reject the false binary between economic engagement and strategic competition with China. It’s possible – and necessary – to do both.

If we can’t name China’s cyberattacks, we lose trust in ourselves

The West’s timid refusal to name and shame China’s constant cyber-attacks and espionage attempts encourages Beijing to escalate them and places little pressure on governments to tackle the problem.

Stand up, Australia

While the United States under Donald Trump has emerged as a greater threat to Western unity and territory than China in recent months, Australia must still find some backbone in standing up to its nearest regional challenger.

Is China a superpower?

China’s economic power, military modernisation and aggressive foreign policy towards Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific may not be enough to grant it super power status, according to a new book by historian Frank Dikotter.

Australia in a disordered world

Australia’s prosperity, stability and strategic freedom has historically been underwritten by a great power that shared our values. First it was Britain, then the United States, but Chinese dominance will strive to destroy them.

Despite it all, China dominates Australian trade – again

China has reasserted its dominance over Australia’s export markets, taking a record of almost 1 billion tonnes of mineral resources and agricultural commodities last year, and displacing the trading partners that helped Australia out during the years it suffered Chinese economic punishment.

Chinese whispers

Beijing would have us believe that Australian politicians cannot speak openly and honestly about China’s geopolitical ambitions without fear of losing Chinese-Australian voters. Don’t fall for it.

Lessons from China

China is a brutal autocracy intent on international expansion but its success in renewing its internal infrastructure and industrial power offers lessons the West would do well to learn if we are to compete.

Cold war in warm waters

As Australia prepares for a national election in May, China’s Pacific ambitions are again making headlines.