https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/322391/feed Breaking news and analysis on China-Australia relations, including trade and investment and the impact of wider issues such as the US-China trade war and South China Sea. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australia and East Timor signed a defence deal on Thursday to boost cyber and maritime security as Canberra seeks to curb China’s influence among its island neighbours. Australia is East Timor’s largest defence and security partner and the agreement will significantly increase defence exercises, Defence Minister Richard Marles told reporters. “This is a time to double down on friendship, to double down on family,” he said in East Timor’s capital Dili. Australia will provide A$62 million (US$44... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3371751/australia-commits-us44-million-boost-east-timors-cyber-maritime-security https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3371751/australia-commits-us44-million-boost-east-timors-cyber-maritime-security Thu, 22 Oct 2026 06:16:08 +0000 Caroline Lin Caroline Lin A 500-year-old Buddha statue that was found buried by a roadside in Australia has been returned to China, leaving an ongoing mystery about how it arrived in the country. The 15cm (six-inch) bronze figurine was formally handed over to Chinese consular representatives during a ceremony in the coastal town of Denham in Shark Bay on Tuesday, the public broadcaster ABC reported. It will be taken to China for further evaluation to establish its history before being displayed at a museum in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371046/australia-hands-ming-dynasty-buddha-back-china-amid-ongoing-mystery-over-its-arrival https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371046/australia-hands-ming-dynasty-buddha-back-china-amid-ongoing-mystery-over-its-arrival Fri, 16 Oct 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick China will charge an extra 55 per cent tariff on Brazilian beef from Thursday after Brazil filled its import quota for the year and has not agreed to let Brazilian exporters use the unfilled quota of neighbouring Uruguay, industry sources said. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced the surtax on Wednesday, a day after China’s customs administration confirmed that Brazil had used all of its 1.106 million-tonne allowance for 2026, and under the rules the extra tariff applies from the third... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369390/china-slaps-55-cent-tariff-brazilian-beef-rebuffs-bid-borrow-uruguays-quota https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369390/china-slaps-55-cent-tariff-brazilian-beef-rebuffs-bid-borrow-uruguays-quota Wed, 30 Sep 2026 18:07:56 +0000 Caroline Lin Caroline Lin Australia’s decision to axe partnerships with two Chinese universities has raised concerns that Canberra is moving to align with Washington on research security policy. The decision came after the United States expanded its restrictions on research entities from China. One analyst warned that Canberra’s latest move would not hinder Chinese progress, but it could leave Australia locked out of top-tier scientific research. The Australian National University confirmed in a statement that it would... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365526/will-australia-be-locked-out-top-scientific-research-shunning-chinese-universities https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365526/will-australia-be-locked-out-top-scientific-research-shunning-chinese-universities Fri, 28 Aug 2026 06:00:09 +0000 Fan Chen,Laura Zhou Fan Chen,Laura Zhou On paper, Western countries are rushing to sign defence pacts in the South Pacific, ensuring their influence in a region long neglected as a geopolitical backwater. But on the water, the island nations are playing a very different game. Instead of taking sides, local leaders are leveraging the geopolitical tug of war between China and the West, winning security guarantees from the latter while Beijing builds infrastructure and deepens its economic footprint. In June, Vanuatu – an archipelago... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364908/how-pacific-nations-walk-tightrope-between-western-security-and-chinese-trade https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364908/how-pacific-nations-walk-tightrope-between-western-security-and-chinese-trade Sat, 22 Aug 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Mandy Zuo,Sherry Wang,He Huifeng Mandy Zuo,Sherry Wang,He Huifeng China’s recent rejection of a shipment of Australian beans citing a pesticide problem suggests that Beijing is adopting a stricter enforcement approach despite the stabilisation of trade ties over the past few years, according to experts. Ten containers of Australian mung beans were blocked by authorities in China – the largest buyer of the commodity – after tests found glyphosate residues five times above China’s permitted limit, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported last week. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3364292/chinas-no-australian-beans-what-import-rejection-says-about-trade-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3364292/chinas-no-australian-beans-what-import-rejection-says-about-trade-ties Tue, 18 Aug 2026 01:00:05 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Australia’s foreign minister attacked the policies of the far-right One Nation party, arguing that its call for a monoculture would damage social cohesion at home and relations with friends and allies abroad. “The call for a monoculture is a call for Australia to curtail our choices and cut off our connections,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a speech on Friday in Sydney. “At a time where external and internal forces are seeking to divide us, turning Australians against each other makes us... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3364204/australian-foreign-minister-defends-multiculturalism-attacks-far-right https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3364204/australian-foreign-minister-defends-multiculturalism-attacks-far-right Sun, 16 Aug 2026 12:53:59 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang After years of strain, China-Australia ties have reached a “good enough” baseline for Canberra, though still short of Beijing’s broader ambitions, according to a former top Australian diplomat. The relationship had taken a significant downturn since 2017, but was now on “a more realistic footing”, Graham Fletcher, a non-resident fellow at the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based think tank, wrote in a report released on Sunday. Fletcher served as Australia’s ambassador to China from 2019 to 2023. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3363442/china-australia-relations-reach-good-enough-baseline-ex-envoy-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3363442/china-australia-relations-reach-good-enough-baseline-ex-envoy-says Sun, 09 Aug 2026 12:30:12 +0000 Chelsea Yang Chelsea Yang While global markets watched closely for another joint move by Washington and Tokyo to prop up the Japanese yen this week, Australian dollar traders have been laser-focused on the actions of another economic power: China. Some analysts view the Australian currency as particularly sensitive to policy moves in Beijing. If China intervenes to boost domestic growth, that could also lift the Australian dollar, the theory goes. But in reality, the currency’s exposure to the world’s second-largest... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3363103/does-beijing-really-have-power-lift-australian-dollar https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3363103/does-beijing-really-have-power-lift-australian-dollar Thu, 06 Aug 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australia said on Friday it would pump an additional US$3.2 billion into building the country’s nuclear-powered submarines, part of a controversial defence pact with the United States and Britain. Under the 2021 Aukus deal, Australia’s most expensive defence project, the country will receive three nuclear-powered submarines from the United States. Australia and Britain will then build a new class of submarine in the 2040s. But the deal has faced scrutiny over whether slow submarine production... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3361665/australia-ramps-aukus-funding-us32-billion-nuclear-submarine-yard https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3361665/australia-ramps-aukus-funding-us32-billion-nuclear-submarine-yard Fri, 24 Jul 2026 02:19:53 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Australia to give up “double standards” and join efforts to maintain the momentum of improving bilateral ties, as Canberra voiced concerns over Beijing’s military development and a recent missile test. In a meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday, Wang said Canberra and Beijing should address differences on the basis of mutual respect and equality. “Both sides should seek common ground while managing disagreements and foster a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361432/australia-raises-chinas-missile-test-meeting-top-diplomat-wang-yi https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361432/australia-raises-chinas-missile-test-meeting-top-diplomat-wang-yi Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:00:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australia and Vanuatu signed a sweeping economic and security agreement on Monday that bars the establishment of any foreign military base on the Pacific island. Vanuatu is at the centre of strategic rivalry between China and US allies in the South Pacific, and Australia has expressed concern that Beijing is seeking a permanent security presence in the region. The agreement commits Australia to greater economic support for Vanuatu, whose largest external creditor is China, and it stops a foreign... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3358702/vanuatu-bans-foreign-military-bases-new-security-pact-australia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3358702/vanuatu-bans-foreign-military-bases-new-security-pact-australia Mon, 29 Jun 2026 04:39:23 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse China is capable of a direct missile strike on Australia and the threat is growing as Beijing amasses long-range and hypersonic weapons and builds islands in the South China Sea, an Australian think tank said on Sunday. A Lowy Institute report found the main threat to Australia was from Chinese missiles fired from ships, submarines and a new intermediate-range ballistic missile that could reach the island continent from China. China’s capacity to strike Australia would grow over the next decade... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3357080/chinas-direct-strike-threat-australia-growing-think-tank-report-finds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3357080/chinas-direct-strike-threat-australia-growing-think-tank-report-finds Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:37:22 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Australian beef will soon be subject to an additional 55 per cent import duty in China, with shipments of the meat about to surpass an annual quota set by Beijing, China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed on Tuesday. Imports of Australian beef have already reached 90 per cent of this year’s quota, meaning that a tariff adjustment will soon be triggered, the ministry announced via an alert. Until recently, most imports of Australian beef were subject to low or even zero tariffs in China under a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3355698/australian-beef-will-soon-be-hit-55-tariff-china-ministry-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3355698/australian-beef-will-soon-be-hit-55-tariff-china-ministry-says Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:30:05 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Australia’s trade minister will visit China in an effort to shore up fuel supplies that have run short this year because of bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz during the US–Israeli war in Iran. Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell told a press conference that he would travel to China to meet Commerce Minister Wang Wentao after a stop in Japan on Monday. “Very much the topic of the day will be how do we continue to ensure reliable fuel supplies into this country,” Farrell said,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3353673/australian-trade-minister-visit-china-secure-fuel-during-iran-war-crunch https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3353673/australian-trade-minister-visit-china-secure-fuel-during-iran-war-crunch Fri, 15 May 2026 07:30:05 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Australia’s mining giants are aiding China’s push to internationalise its currency and reduce the dominance of the US dollar, as they gradually shift towards using the yuan for financing and settlements, analysts said. China has been using its heft as the world’s dominant iron ore buyer to push global mining companies to adopt the yuan. And several firms are already making the switch, with China’s relatively low interest rates becoming an added incentive. BHP, the world’s largest mining company,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3353274/how-australias-mining-giants-are-helping-china-globalise-yuan https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3353274/how-australias-mining-giants-are-helping-china-globalise-yuan Wed, 13 May 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Chinese multinational company Landbridge Group’s legal claim regarding Darwin Port – the first case ever brought against Australia at the international tribunal – is likely to yield a multi-year proceeding, which could serve as a buffer to provide some positive impacts for the Australia-China relationship, analysts said. The owner of Landbridge, Ye Cheng, filed a case with the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investor Disputes (ICSID) requesting “arbitration proceedings” over... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3352339/chinas-fight-keep-darwin-port-could-help-fragile-sino-australian-relations-analysts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3352339/chinas-fight-keep-darwin-port-could-help-fragile-sino-australian-relations-analysts Tue, 05 May 2026 01:00:14 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Japan’s prime minister is set to arrive in Australia to strengthen ties with one of her country’s strongest allies as she seeks to build on an updated regional strategy laid out in Vietnam. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to touch down late on Sunday local time in Canberra for the three-day visit, which will focus on defence, critical minerals and broader economic security. The two countries have grown increasingly concerned about the changing security and economic environment in the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3352272/takaichi-bound-australia-strengthen-economic-security-ties https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3352272/takaichi-bound-australia-strengthen-economic-security-ties Sun, 03 May 2026 10:11:29 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan,Shi Jiangtao Cao Jiaxuan,Shi Jiangtao China will work with Australian businesses on jet fuel shipments in an important “first step” in alleviating supply crunches, according to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. The agreement came on Wednesday as part of Wong’s talks in Beijing with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. “Inputs China supplies to Australia, including jet fuel, support the Australian resources sector, which in turn helps to maintain the flow of commodities that are so important in the bilateral trading relationship,”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351964/why-chinas-jet-fuel-deal-australia-underscores-canberras-balancing-act https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3351964/why-chinas-jet-fuel-deal-australia-underscores-canberras-balancing-act Thu, 30 Apr 2026 06:16:19 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Kandy Wong Sylvia Ma,Kandy Wong Australian mining giant BHP’s decision to adopt a yuan-denominated index for a major Chinese buyer poses a challenge to the US dollar’s long-standing dominance in iron ore pricing, delivering a hard-won victory for Beijing, analysts said. But while the agreement marked a breakthrough in Beijing’s push to gain greater commodity pricing power at a time when the United States faces growing “geopolitical isolation”, analysts stressed that its broader efforts to reshape the old order remained far... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3351333/will-chinas-deal-australian-mining-giant-bhp-boost-yuan-internationalisation https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3351333/will-chinas-deal-australian-mining-giant-bhp-boost-yuan-internationalisation Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao China and Australia should intensify exchanges on energy security amid complex global geopolitics, Canberra said on Tuesday as spillover from the US-Israel war against Iran continued to endanger the world economy. In a phone conversation on Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang discussed the importance of energy security “in light of the current global challenges” and agreed to increase government-to-government communication to support regional energy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349341/neighbours-matter-more-ever-china-australia-vow-more-contact-amid-global-tension https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349341/neighbours-matter-more-ever-china-australia-vow-more-contact-amid-global-tension Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:27:41 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen A Chinese underwater drone was caught by an Indonesian fisherman near a key waterway leading to Australia on Monday, local media reported. The discovery of the “torpedo-like” object near the Lombok Strait comes at a time of increasing Chinese underwater activity in sensitive areas. The waterway between Bali and Lombok is closely watched by the United States and Australia. It is one of the few deepwater routes that can accommodate submarine transits at operational depth and is also suitable for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3349290/indonesian-fisherman-nets-surprise-catch-chinese-underwater-drone https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3349290/indonesian-fisherman-nets-surprise-catch-chinese-underwater-drone Wed, 08 Apr 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Australian comedian Jenny Tian set off a wave of deep laughter across an Adelaide audience at a recent comedy festival by saying she had tired of democracy at home. So, Tian explained, she moved to the US to give “fascism” a whirl instead. The 30-year-old showbiz pro was born to Chinese parents, making her race a rarity in Western stand-up comedy. But the crowd was a near sell-out. I saw Tian’s March performance during a visiting media tour of Australia after days of meetings with national... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3348468/australias-180-degree-shift-5-years-ago-china-favour-us-out https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3348468/australias-180-degree-shift-5-years-ago-china-favour-us-out Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters ⁠Australia has raised concerns with ⁠China following an “unsafe and ⁠unprofessional” encounter between two military helicopters, the defence department said on Friday. An Australian military helicopter was flying over international waters in the Yellow Sea when it was intercepted by a Chinese helicopter on Wednesday, a statement ‌said. The Chinese helicopter matched the Australian aircraft’s altitude before “closing in to an unsafe distance”, increasing speed and then rolling towards it,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3345781/australia-complains-china-after-encounter-between-military-helicopters https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3345781/australia-complains-china-after-encounter-between-military-helicopters Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:27:12 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma The Australian frigate HMAS Toowoomba sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Friday and Saturday, monitored closely by the People’s Liberation Army, which remained on alert throughout the transit, according to a mainland Chinese media report. The Global Times, a nationalist newspaper affiliated with the Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily, reported the vessel’s passage on Saturday, citing a Chinese military source. Citing a military fan site that monitors airspace activities around the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3344247/beijing-monitors-australian-frigate-hmas-toowoombas-passage-through-taiwan-strait https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3344247/beijing-monitors-australian-frigate-hmas-toowoombas-passage-through-taiwan-strait Sun, 22 Feb 2026 07:59:54 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s travel industry is expecting a sharp increase in visitors to Australia during this month’s extended Lunar New Year holiday, as millions of tourists fan out across the world for a nine-day break. Industry insiders said the lure of wine, seafood, nature and flexible small-group itineraries was driving interest in the island country. Australia is projected to attract “the most travellers from China” during the break, with bookings likely to more than double over last year’s total, according... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3343560/great-barrier-reef-calling-chinese-tourists-make-australia-lunar-new-year-hotspot https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3343560/great-barrier-reef-calling-chinese-tourists-make-australia-lunar-new-year-hotspot Sat, 14 Feb 2026 08:00:17 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Australia and Indonesia’s leaders signed a security deal on Friday, one of a series of agreements that Canberra has secured with neighbouring countries to reinforce ties and limit China’s influence in the region. At a signing ceremony, President Prabowo Subianto met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said before he travelled to Jakarta that the pact was a “watershed moment” in ties. It “represents a major extension of our security and defence cooperation and demonstrates that our relationship... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342607/australia-indonesia-sign-deal-extend-security-cooperation-watershed-moment https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342607/australia-indonesia-sign-deal-extend-security-cooperation-watershed-moment Fri, 06 Feb 2026 04:55:37 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Any decision by Australia to regain control of Darwin Port is likely to differ from Panama’s move to nullify a contract on its geostrategically vital canal, as fears of Chinese retaliation and a limited security consensus limit Canberra’s options, analysts said – though they warned the issue could still reopen strains in the bilateral relationship. Panama’s Supreme Court ruled on Friday against a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings, ending its rights to operate two ports on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3342192/china-ties-make-darwin-port-bigger-test-australia-panama-port-dispute-analysts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3342192/china-ties-make-darwin-port-bigger-test-australia-panama-port-dispute-analysts Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:54:32 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim In the first few weeks of this year alone, the leaders of two of the five “eyes” in the world’s oldest intelligence-sharing alliance signalled they were ready to rethink their relationship with China. First came Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and then this week it was the turn of his British counterpart, Keir Starmer. And in both cases, the visits have prompted warnings from US President Donald Trump. As Western economies grapple with the unpredictability and at times hostility of the White... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341885/canada-and-uk-hit-refresh-china-ties-end-five-eyes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341885/canada-and-uk-hit-refresh-china-ties-end-five-eyes Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Beijing has pledged to step in if Canberra commits to regaining control of a strategic port in northern Australia that is leased to a Chinese firm. Chinese ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian said on Wednesday that Beijing “has the obligation to take measures” to protect the legitimate rights of Chinese companies overseas if the port of Darwin were taken back through a forced sale, according to Australian media reports. During last year’s successful re-election campaign, Australian Prime Minister... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341574/china-will-step-if-australia-moves-regain-control-darwin-port-envoy-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341574/china-will-step-if-australia-moves-regain-control-darwin-port-envoy-says Wed, 28 Jan 2026 12:00:39 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Khushboo Razdan Lucy Quaggin,Khushboo Razdan Australia’s former prime minister and a prominent China scholar, Kevin Rudd, will step down as ambassador to the United States a year ahead of schedule, a move some analysts say underscores a fundamental shift in how Canberra must navigate a Washington increasingly centred on the personal rapport with US President Donald Trump. The resignation follows a period of heightened friction between Rudd and Trump, punctuated by the “America first” leader’s blunt public declaration in October 2025 that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3339796/not-trump-compatible-china-expert-rudd-exits-australias-us-ambassador-role https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3339796/not-trump-compatible-china-expert-rudd-exits-australias-us-ambassador-role Tue, 13 Jan 2026 22:28:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australia’s government is “disappointed” with China’s decision to impose new beef import tariffs, with one industry group warning the move could damage trade worth over A$1 billion (US$667 million) between the two countries. China announced it would impose additional 55 per cent tariffs on some beef imports from countries including Brazil, Australia and the United States that exceed a certain quantity for the next three years. The country also said it would suspend part of a free-trade agreement... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3338405/australia-disappointed-chinas-55-beef-tariffs-us667-million-trade-risk https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3338405/australia-disappointed-chinas-55-beef-tariffs-us667-million-trade-risk Thu, 01 Jan 2026 09:17:53 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May How can Australia operate effectively in Asia if fewer Australians can speak regional languages, understand political and cultural dynamics, or build enduring relationships across the region? This question lies at the heart of debates over the nation’s Asia capability and has gained renewed urgency following submissions to the recent parliamentary inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia. For more than three decades, successive Australian governments have recognised that meaningful... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3338045/australia-losing-its-ability-engage-asia-its-own-terms https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3338045/australia-losing-its-ability-engage-asia-its-own-terms Tue, 30 Dec 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Xinyi Wu,Mia Nurmamat Xinyi Wu,Mia Nurmamat Russia’s shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China soared last month, consolidating Moscow’s role as the top energy supplier to the world’s second-largest economy even in the face of Western sanctions. Imports of LNG from Russia surged 142.6 per cent, year on year, to 1.6 million tonnes, displacing Australia to become one of China’s top two biggest suppliers alongside Qatar last month, according to the latest customs data. Russian LNG accounted for 23.5 per cent of China’s total... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3337367/russian-lng-shipments-china-surge-143-november-overtaking-australia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3337367/russian-lng-shipments-china-surge-143-november-overtaking-australia Tue, 23 Dec 2025 03:00:18 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth met their Australian counterparts on Monday in Washington for annual talks focused on Indo-Pacific security and countering mainland China’s increasing assertiveness in the region, including in the South China Sea and directed at Taiwan. Rubio, Hegseth, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles gathered at the State Department, with many eyes also on the Russia-Ukraine war, a fragile ceasefire in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3335667/rubio-and-hegseth-discuss-indo-pacific-security-australian-counterparts-washington https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3335667/rubio-and-hegseth-discuss-indo-pacific-security-australian-counterparts-washington Mon, 08 Dec 2025 20:23:01 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China’s deployment this week of a naval fleet led by a Type 075 amphibious assault ship in the Philippine Sea has triggered a rapid response from Australia. Canberra deployed a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft to track the flotilla, reviving security concerns raised after an unprecedented circumnavigation of the Australian continent by a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fleet nine months ago. US satellite images, first reported by Australian media on Wednesday, confirmed the presence of the Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3335362/australia-high-alert-pla-naval-flotilla-philippine-sea-sails-south https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3335362/australia-high-alert-pla-naval-flotilla-philippine-sea-sails-south Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:07:01 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg More than half of Australians are concerned about US interference while support for defence spending has reached a new high, according to a nationwide poll that comes as friction mounts between the allies over issues such as trade. The survey released on Tuesday by the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney found that 54 per cent of respondents are worried about US influence on domestic affairs – a jump of nearly 20 percentage points since 2021. The increase... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3333195/australian-poll-reveals-rising-concerns-over-us-influence-coercive-trade-tactics https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3333195/australian-poll-reveals-rising-concerns-over-us-influence-coercive-trade-tactics Tue, 18 Nov 2025 04:02:45 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Japan’s ambassador to Australia has said Tokyo and Beijing must keep “proper” communication channels open over Taiwan to avoid misunderstandings. Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, Kazuhiro Suzuki also urged Australia to help strengthen “joint deterrence” with Japan in what he described as “turbulent” times. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait would be “extremely important” for the international community as well as for Japan, Suzuki said in response to a question... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332602/japan-very-much-willing-keep-talking-mainland-china-over-taiwan-top-diplomat-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332602/japan-very-much-willing-keep-talking-mainland-china-over-taiwan-top-diplomat-says Thu, 13 Nov 2025 06:44:44 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Regional hot-button issues amplified by great power rivalry, such as the South China Sea and Taiwan, have contributed to more Australians “than ever before” being exposed to foreign intelligence operations, Canberra’s top spy has warned. Australia’s social cohesion faced “unprecedented” tests, with international dynamics playing a role, Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) director general Mike Burgess said in a speech on Tuesday. The country had been among the targets of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331600/hot-regional-issues-south-china-sea-expose-australians-foreign-agents-spy-chief https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331600/hot-regional-issues-south-china-sea-expose-australians-foreign-agents-spy-chief Wed, 05 Nov 2025 07:34:51 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow In the Solomon Islands, where memories of civil unrest and ethnic violence are still fresh, the government’s plan to create a defence force has raised both hope and concerns. For some, it is a step towards stability; for others, it is a potential flashpoint in a region increasingly pulled between China and the West. Jimson Tanangada, the Pacific nation’s police and national security minister, told parliament earlier this month that the government was exploring the creation of a defence force as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3330233/solomon-islands-defence-force-dream-australia-china-flashpoint https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3330233/solomon-islands-defence-force-dream-australia-china-flashpoint Sun, 26 Oct 2025 01:30:15 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Seong Hyeon Choi Yuanyue Dang,Seong Hyeon Choi Beijing is likely to view the growing defence cooperation between India, South Korea and Australia as a strategic effort to contain China in the Indo-Pacific, according to analysts. They said closer defence ties between the three reflected concerns over a possible security vacuum in case the United States reduced its military presence in the region. The Indian naval vessel Sahyadri docked at Busan naval port in South Korea on October 13, according to a statement from India’s Ministry of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3329978/counterweight-or-containment-how-china-views-defence-ties-between-asia-pacific-allies https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3329978/counterweight-or-containment-how-china-views-defence-ties-between-asia-pacific-allies Thu, 23 Oct 2025 04:00:08 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Australia should lead the creation of a formal Five Eyes-style intelligence club in the Pacific amid China’s growing presence in the region, a prominent foreign policy think tank has suggested. Dubbed “Pacific Eyes”, the proposed intelligence-sharing alliance could help to plug institutional gaps that “external powers” – particularly Beijing – were eager to exploit, the Sydney-based Lowy Institute said in a report released on Tuesday. It recommended that the dedicated framework initially consist... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329818/pacific-eyes-intelligence-body-would-offset-chinas-growing-presence-region-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329818/pacific-eyes-intelligence-body-would-offset-chinas-growing-presence-region-report Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:30:08 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Zhao Ziwen Seong Hyeon Choi,Zhao Ziwen China and Australia exchanged accusations on Monday after an encounter over the disputed South China Sea, with the PLA’s Southern Theatre Command Air Force saying that it drove away a P-8A military aircraft that illegally intruded into Chinese airspace. “The People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command organised naval and air forces to track and monitor the intruder in accordance with regulations, implement effective countermeasures, and issue warnings to drive it away,” Senior Colonel Li... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3329696/china-australia-trade-blame-after-pla-jet-releases-flares-mid-air-encounter https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3329696/china-australia-trade-blame-after-pla-jet-releases-flares-mid-air-encounter Mon, 20 Oct 2025 11:06:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australia must learn from past guerrilla insurgencies and adopt an “unconventional deterrence” policy in facing down threats from China, Russia and elsewhere, one of the country’s leading think tanks said on Wednesday. Australia, under the tripartite Aukus pact with the United States and the United Kingdom, will acquire at least three Virginia-class submarines from the US within 15 years, with an eye to eventually build its own. Until then, Canberra faces a major gap in its defences, warned the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3329081/australia-urged-adopt-guerrilla-singapores-poisonous-shrimp-defence-tactics https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3329081/australia-urged-adopt-guerrilla-singapores-poisonous-shrimp-defence-tactics Wed, 15 Oct 2025 06:29:08 +0000 Christopher Cottrell Christopher Cottrell A new chapter in Pacific security began this week as Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) signed a mutual defence agreement that draws the strategically vital yet volatile Melanesian nation further into Canberra’s sphere of influence – as China watches closely. The “Pukpuk Treaty”, signed in Canberra on Monday by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Papua New Guinean counterpart James Marape, is Australia’s largest Pacific security pact in seven decades. Named after the Tok Pisin... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3328115/what-australias-pukpuk-pact-png-means-pacific https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3328115/what-australias-pukpuk-pact-png-means-pacific Tue, 07 Oct 2025 08:27:53 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Papua New Guinea’s cabinet has approved a bilateral defence treaty with near neighbour Australia, paving the way for the nations’ leaders to sign a landmark agreement that US allies hope will curb Chinese influence in the region. Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape confirmed on Thursday that the treaty had been formally approved by his cabinet. “Australia has only one other mutual defence treaty of this type and at our request Papua New Guinea will now sign this treaty,” Marape said in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3327653/australia-and-papua-new-guinea-forge-historic-defence-pact-counter-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3327653/australia-and-papua-new-guinea-forge-historic-defence-pact-counter-china Thu, 02 Oct 2025 09:52:28 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings The Australian government has unveiled a plan to improve domestic exporters’ access to the Chinese market after Beijing’s removal of trade barriers that previously affected A$20 billion (US$13.3 billion) worth of the country’s goods. The two-year Accessing New Markets Initiative will provide A$50 million of funding in an attempt to “build on” China’s recent scrapping of several trade restrictions affecting Australian products, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3325631/australia-unveils-plan-boost-exports-china-trade-barriers-fade https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3325631/australia-unveils-plan-boost-exports-china-trade-barriers-fade Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:00:20 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen When Mary Wang, a 27-year-old Chinese woman living in the West Australian capital of Perth, heard that thousands of anti-immigration protesters would be marching across the country late last month, she immediately cancelled plans to leave the house. Wang, who works in IT, was planning to continue her volunteer work teaching the elderly how to use smartphones, but the disturbing rallies gave her pause. “I just feel insecure,” Wang said. “I’m already in an environment I didn’t grow up in, and I... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325127/i-feel-insecure-chinese-nationals-australia-blindsided-anti-immigration-marches https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325127/i-feel-insecure-chinese-nationals-australia-blindsided-anti-immigration-marches Sat, 13 Sep 2025 04:03:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Pacific Island leaders issued a call for an “ocean of peace” on Wednesday, urging respect for their sovereignty at a summit clouded by China’s alleged meddling and great power competition in the strategically vital region. After a day of largely closed-door talks in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara, the 18 Pacific Islands Forum leaders endorsed a Fiji-backed push for a statement proclaiming the region’s cohesion and its desire for peace and climate action. A heavy police presence guarded... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3325042/pacific-islands-leaders-call-ocean-peace-forum-after-china-claims-make-waves https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3325042/pacific-islands-leaders-call-ocean-peace-forum-after-china-claims-make-waves Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:15:21 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australia’s public broadcaster said on Thursday it will again base a correspondent in China, five years after two journalists fled the country under diplomatic protection as bilateral ties soured. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) Bill Birtles and Australian Financial Review correspondent Michael Smith were rushed out of the country in September 2020 after Chinese police conducted midnight raids on their homes and sought to question them. The broadcaster said it had been “eager to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3323539/australia-china-ties-abc-resumes-beijing-bureau-after-5-years-xi-albanese-talks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3323539/australia-china-ties-abc-resumes-beijing-bureau-after-5-years-xi-albanese-talks Thu, 28 Aug 2025 12:43:08 +0000