Amid the Ukraine conflict, Central Asian states are leveraging a multi-vector foreign policy to balance historic ties with Russia and expanding partnerships with global powers. This strategic pivot highlights their resilience in navigating a complex and shifting geopolitical landscape.

Indonesia's new Cabinet formation under President Prabowo Subianto highlights both the inclusiveness and challenges of coalition-led governance, revealing a political environment heavily influenced by elite networks and patronage in party politics. This piece explores how democratising candidate selection in parties might pave the way for a more responsive and accountable government, aligning political appointments more closely with the public interest.  

With populist fervor now embedded in US-China relations, economic tensions have become a bipartisan fixture in Washington. As both parties double down on Trump’s legacy of tough talk, the US-China trade war is set to be a defining—and enduring—feature of American foreign policy.

Harrison's groundbreaking study reveals how military conscription has been weaponised as a tool of genocide, with devastating case studies from the Ottoman Empire and Hungary. It's prescriptions for contemporary rights abuses are many and relevant to current conflicts. 

The fact that the Pacific Community (SPC) has been forced to hold its annual executive meeting thousands of kilometres away from its headquarters in Noumea this year was an unsettling reminder that decolonisation in the Pacific Island region is still an unfinished project. These challenges underscore the need for an inclusive and resilient regional framework as the Blue Pacific seeks a united future.

What does Donald Trump have store for Australia when he returns to the White House? Past actions reveal a willingness to undermine long-standing alliances and deterrence strategies, raising concerns about the potential fallout for US partners like Australia and South Korea.

This week in Australian foreign affairs: Albanese in Peru for APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and Brazil for the G20 Leaders’ Summit; Marles hosts Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C Teodoro Jr for the inaugural Australia-Philippines Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Canberra; new Indo-Pacific NGO Blended Finance Accelerator announced, and more.

South Korea’s traditionally family-run conglomerates, chaebols, play a key role in the development and implementation of national derisking policy. As recent trends showcase, the chaebols often ignore national policies and it is only with the influence of the United States that they have joined onto derisking efforts. 

Australia has long contributed to global arms control and non-proliferation efforts, yet its reliance on the US nuclear umbrella reflects a conflicting stance on nuclear disarmament. This dependence not only undermines Australia's historical commitment to nuclear disarmament but also risks drawing the nation into potential nuclear conflict without assured protection.

Kevin Rudd’s new book, “On Xi Jinping,” offers insightful analysis of the transformation of Chinese politics, economics, and foreign policy under Xi Jinping’s leadership, highlighting the renewed role of ideology in shaping policy.