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Australia
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Australia

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Australia
Australia
The world's sixth largest country, Australia is a regional power in Asia that has a sometimes troubled relationship with its largest trading partner, China. Canberra began to pull away from Beijing in 2018 due to concerns over Chinese influence on Australian society and politics, as well as disputes over the South China Sea. The global Covid-19 pandemic that began in China in 2019 caused further tensions after Australia called for an independent investigation into the disease's origins.
Capital
Canberra
Head of State
King Charles III
King Charles III
Head of Government
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Anthony Albanese
Screenshots from security camera footage shared by Ge Cafe show a shirtless man trashing the venue and attacking patrons while police attempted to detain him. Photos: Facebook/Ge Cafe
Vietnam

Vietnam detains Australian man who trashed Da Nang cafe

He destroyed bar equipment and furniture, and customers’ belongings, including laptops and mobile phones.

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China property

The View | Green shoots in Hong Kong, mainland China property markets deserve attention

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Malaysia

‘We are a small country’: why Malaysia is resisting US defence spending call

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US-China relations

Hegseth tones down China rhetoric on return to Asia

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth adopted a noticeably less hostile tone towards China in his address at this year’s Shangri-La Dialogue.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Photo: EPA
Malaysia

Malaysia bars under-16s from social media as new rules come into force

Malaysia’s roll-out of strict age-gating rules follows on the heels of Australia and Indonesia in the push to protect children online.

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Anthony Albanese

Australia catches Europe’s right-wing populist wave

A surge in support for Australia’s populist One Nation party mirrors the rise of the populist right in Europe and Britain.

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Myanmar

Myanmar’s China-backed mega dam revival risks Kachin rebel backlash

Restarting the shelved US$3.6 billion Myitsone Dam project could ultimately come down to Beijing’s ‘risk tolerance’.

A Kachin Independence Army rebel stands at frontline outpost in northern Kachin state, Myanmar. Photo: AP
Singapore

Shangri-La Dialogue: can Asia do ‘less Shangri-La, more ships, more subs’?

In response to Hegseth’s call, participants at the Singapore forum say defence spending levels have to factor in different countries’ needs.

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The Philippines

Philippines says Beijing main hurdle to South China Sea code of conduct

Addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue, defence chief Teodoro blamed China for stalling the pact and stressed Asean’s unity on the issue.

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China-Japan relations

China and Japan aren’t talking. Will their rare earth trade go quiet?

With bilateral relations at a low and Beijing already enacting limited export controls on critical minerals, fears of a broader ban grow.

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia
US-China relations

China dials down rhetoric but regional risks persist at Shangri-La Dialogue

In the wake of the Xi-Trump summit, the US and Chinese delegations dispense with the tough talk of previous years.

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Major General Meng Xiangqing (second from left) leaves a special session at the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
Singapore

17 nations launch pact to protect vital undersea cables amid US, China absence

Singapore’s defence chief tells the Shangri-La Dialogue the pact aims to explore potential areas of collaboration and share best practices.

Indonesia

Chasing billions: Indonesia’s commodity export crackdown sows confusion

New export rules promise billions in recovered revenue, but analysts warn the ensuing chaos could cost more than the gains.

US-China relations

‘Clear-eyed’ on China: the takeaways from Pete Hegseth’s Shangri-La speech

From the Indo-Pacific to Iran, Hegseth gives the White House’s take on security relationships.

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US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth delivers a keynote speech at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
Shenzhen

Being Chinese | Once, I was proud of the Shenzhen miracle. Now I’m not so sure

The Taiwanese-influenced accent my voice carries is a relic of the 2000s and hints at how differently my generation understands modernity.

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A food delivery drone takes off from a site near Shenzhen Bay Park in Shenzhen on January 17. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
US-Asean relations

Tariffs, war and broken trust: Southeast Asia’s Trump problem

Disillusioned by US unpredictability, the region is learning to diversify – while Trump treats allies as bargaining chips.

China-EU relations

The era when Europe viewed China as a partner is over, Brussels insider warns

A new era of fractious EU-China trade relations is here to stay, as Brussels’ view of Beijing has fundamentally changed, lobbyist says.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | Heroics will only turn middle power dreams into nightmares

Successful middle powers do not defy systemic pressures but recognise structural change early enough to avoid becoming trapped.

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 20. He called for a “third path” and middle power resistance, receiving a standing ovation. Photo: EPA
Hong Kong courts

Legal Tales | The evolution of Hong Kong’s independent common law

A recent Court of Final Appeal ruling confirms that the city’s common law is its very own.

Vietnam

Samoan suspect confesses to hired hit in Vietnam on Sydney gangster

In a rare gun crime in Vietnam, the suspect admitted that he and an accomplice were in Ho Chi Minh City looking for two victims.

South China Sea

As allies boost Taiwan Strait transits, why is the US going a different route?

Chinese think tank notes the changing risks: ‘China will inevitably respond, and that makes the overall situation appear more tense’.

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A Chinese think tank says a shift in US transits through Taiwan Strait is consistent with broader trends in China-US military interactions since their 2023 leadership summit. Photo:AP
Japan

Japan eyes new rules to curb US, China and Russia space arms race

Japan is ‘best placed’ to establish new rules given its space capabilities and strong support for nuclear non-proliferation, analysts say.

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An illustration shows a military satellite shooting a laser at the Earth. Photo: Shutterstock
China manufacturing

Boring China: how Chinese firms are creating a new breed of tunnelling machine

Huge machine is the largest of its kind exported by China and will cut through a complex environment to create a 6.5km six-lane tunnel.

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US-China relations

Quad foreign ministers fight for relevance as leaders’ summit remains elusive

Critical minerals and Indo-Pacific security took centre stage amid doubts over US commitment and a delayed leaders’ summit.

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Cathay Pacific

High-altitude turbulence tricky to spot, experts say, as Cathay looks into case

Cathay Pacific says it is ‘gathering facts’ surrounding case of severe turbulence that injured 10 on flight from Brisbane.

Ambulances wait at Hong Kong International Airport on Saturday morning for the Brisbane flight. Photo: Handout
India

As Marco Rubio visits New Delhi, what could it mean for US-India ties?

The US secretary of state’s trip aims to mend bilateral relationship, focusing on trade, defence and Quad unity.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (left) and India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar during their meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters
Mergers & Acquisitions

Hong Kong’s Jardine Matheson buys Australian diagnostic group I-MED for US$2.4b

The acquisition is one of the investment company’s largest in recent years and follows its Mandarin Oriental buyout in January.

Malaysia

Malaysia’s ruling coalition faces test over Selangor non-Muslim worship rules

The dispute began after an MP flagged state planning guidelines stating that non-Islamic places of worship cannot be in commercial zones.

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