This week in Australian foreign affairs: the Quad Leader’s Summit, Cormann’s selection as Secretary-General of the OECD, supporting PNG’s COVID-19 response, and more.

Amid continued Chinese aggression, the Quad’s significance has increased further.  The summit-level meeting ascertains that the Quad is not only here to stay but will be a powerful stabilising force in the Indo-Pacific.

The modern state of American policing’s relationship with the African American community has not emerged from nowhere. Rather, it can be understood through the lens of historical structural racism.

In Myanmar, women have shown up in full force, taking to the streets and marching on the front lines – proudly displaying their femininity as a tool of protest. This reflects the nation’s gendered identity, where women are not just fighting for democracy, but their place in political life.

Would there be any difference in the treatment of Rohingya populations if a military government or civilian government ran the state? With Rohingya repatriation serving as a flashpoint of the Myanmar coup, invoking global responsibility to protect this population seems long overdue.

South Asian countries have realised that cross-border problems must be addressed at the regional level. In this context, multilateral donors need to view the pandemic as an opportunity for regional integration to promote inclusive and resilient South Asian recovery.

The US has become frustrated with the stalled Intra-Afghan peace negotiations. Whether the Taliban are committed to this agreement, and willing to seriously negotiate a political settlement involving Afghan-side demands, including specified electoral, constitutional, and judicial processes and human rights obligations, is unknown.

Losing a relative is painful, and not knowing how to search for them only doubles the tragedy. In Zimbabwe, the International Committee of the Red Cross works with families affected by migration to help them trace the fate of missing loved ones.

According to Bill Hayton, the modern Chinese state was constructed, or “invented,” at the end of the Qing Dynasty, based on Western ideas of nation, race, history, and territory. In The Invention of China, Hayton demonstrates that China is no more ancient, special, or authentic than most other states.

Also discussed in this episode of Australia in the World: US foreign policy and the inaugural Quad leaders meeting.