Australian coal cargoes are scheduled to start arriving at Chinese ports on Wednesday, unwinding an unofficial ban imposed amid fraying bilateral relations two-and-a-half years ago. The resumption of the bilateral coal trade marks a significant improvement in relations, which hit a low point at the start of the pandemic after Australia pushed for an independent investigation into the origins of Covid-19, angering Beijing officials. China imposed official and unofficial sanctions on a range of Australian products, including wine, lobsters, timber and barley. It left more valuable commodities such as iron…
Tag: Australian politics
Defence minister Richard Marles on Labor’s diplomatic reset with China – podcast
Australia is walking a fine line between the US, which it relies on for security, and its important trade partner China as fears grow of a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific. Defence and foreign affairs correspondent Daniel Hurst recently interviewed defence minister Richard Marles on Australia’s position in the global contest for power. How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know The Guardian
As US-China rivalry heats up, can Australia defuse the risk of superpower conflict? | Susannah Patton
As spy stories go, the recent foray and ultimate demise of China’s surveillance balloon across the United States is not very promising. Beijing probably did not learn any state secrets, and the eventual downing of the unmanned aerial system once it was safely over water is hardly the stuff of Le Carré. Yet the balloon incident is a powerful illustration of why Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has been calling for the US and China to put in place “guardrails” to manage their competition responsibly. Coming only months after…
Australia’s diplomatic influence in Asia on the rise as ALP advances interests abroad
Australia has enjoyed a big increase in its diplomatic influence in Asia over the past year, according to the latest ratings of power across the region. The Lowy Institute’s Asia Power Index, published on Monday, also shows Australia’s standing has emerged unscathed from pandemic-era disruptions, unlike the region’s big players the US and China and many other countries. The Sydney-based thinktank ranks 26 countries and territories in terms of their power and influence in Asia. It is calculated from scores in 133 categories covering military capability, economic capability and diplomatic…
‘We don’t have limitless resources’: Australian government prepared to scale back defence projects
Richard Marles has signalled the Australian government is prepared to scale back some defence projects to fund others in a major shake-up, declaring “we don’t have limitless resources”. The deputy prime minister said the government would weigh up “how best we can use the resources that we have to make sure that we have a defence force which maximises Australia’s capability”. In his first substantive interview of the year, Marles refused to rule out the possibility Australia’s first nuclear-powered submarines could be built offshore before production in South Australia can…
In from the cold? Australia and China eye first meeting of trade ministers in more than three years
Australia and China are in discussions about arranging a virtual meeting between the trade minister, Don Farrell, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao, in the coming weeks. This would be the first conversation between an Australian trade minister and a Chinese commerce minister in more than three years, in the latest sign of efforts to “stabilise” the turbulent relationship with Australia’s largest trading partner. There has been growing speculation that Farrell may visit China as early as February to continue to pursue Australia’s case that trade “blockages” – including hefty…
Australian officials warned in 2021 about possible recruitment of ex-ADF members by Chinese military
Australian government officials were first warned a year and a half ago about alleged attempts to recruit former defence force personnel to train the Chinese military, the defence department has revealed. But it is unclear what action, if any, the then defence minister, Peter Dutton, took at the time. The current defence minister, Richard Marles, appeared to have been spurred into action when the issue hit the media about two months ago. Marles announced in mid-October he had asked his department to investigate claims that some Australian pilots may be…
Australia’s credibility on human rights blighted by laws targeting climate protesters and jailing children, report says
The detention of children under 14 and new laws targeting climate protesters are harming Australia’s credibility to stand up for human rights in the region, a leading rights body has warned. Human Rights Watch called on Australia to address its own “alarming deficiencies” when the organisation on Thursday published its annual reports on the performance of nearly 100 countries. It specifically raised alarm about New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania introducing “new laws targeting peaceful climate and environmental protesters with disproportionate punishments and excessive bail conditions”. The organisation took aim…
Australia news live: ‘couldn’t think of anything more distressing for victim-survivors’ – Daniel Andrews rules out George Pell state funeral
From 44m ago No state funeral service for George Pell: Victorian premier Benita Kolovos Victoria’s premier, Daniel Andrews, says there will not be a state funeral service for George Pell out of respect for victims of institutional child sexual abuse. Asked if Pell, who died on Wednesday morning AEDT from heart complications arising from hip replacement surgery in Rome, would receive a state-funded service, he replied that he would not: I couldn’t think of anything that would be more distressing for victim-survivors than that. <gu-island name="TweetBlockComponent" deferuntil="visible" props="{"element":{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TweetBlockElement","html":" Victoria's premier,…
Anthony Albanese to push ‘family-first’ security treaty in address to Papua New Guinea parliament
Anthony Albanese will seek progress on a new security treaty during a visit to Papua New Guinea, pushing a “family-first approach” amid increasing competition with China for influence in the Pacific. On Thursday the Australian prime minister will become the first foreign government leader to address PNG’s parliament and will say he sees the relationship as “a bond between equals”. Albanese will also declare that other Pacific countries are counting on Australia and PNG to lead on climate action, warning there is “not a moment to waste”. With sport seen…