This Month
Chinese warships came within 10km of Australian waters: Defence
Chief of the Defence Force David Johnston reveals a Chinese flotilla identified in November came much closer to Australia than previously thought.
Jimmy Lai’s 20-year sentence should trigger an investor reckoning
You may be tempted to see Lai’s persecution strictly as a human rights issue, with little relevance to Hong Kong’s business environment. That would be a mistake.
Japan’s ‘Iron Lady’ prime minister wins landslide election
Sanae Takaichi’s party gained a super majority in a stunning win, with plans to boost the nation’s spending and defence capabilities amid tensions with China.
Japan’s heavy metal rock star PM could wreck Labor’s China strategy
Takaichi’s election victory means her brand of unapologetic China hawkishness could collide with Labor’s plans to stabilise relations with our largest trading partner.
Japan’s pop-idol prime minister eyes election landslide
Sanae Takaichi is almost certain to cement her grip on power at Sunday’s election, driven by personal popularity and a tough security stance.
Xi warns Trump to handle Taiwan ‘with caution’
The two leaders held a phone call on trade but also Taiwan and other issues ahead of a summit potentially coming as soon as April.
Iron ore at risk if Canberra ‘weaponises’ supply against China
Amid the geopolitical tussle, the Commonwealth Bank has noted a worrying sign that the Asian nation is starting to reduce its reliance on Australian production.
Trump unveils $17b critical minerals reserve to counter China
The creation of an emergency stockpile of rare earths and critical minerals is a first for the US private sector and includes players such as GE and Boeing.
January
Victoria woos monster data centres with light-touch regulation
“This is a race,” says minister Danny Pearson, who wants to snag the biggest projects by making things easier for firms like AirTrunk and NextDC.
Australia to hand Timor billions in gas revenue to counter Beijing
Australia will donate at least a third of the revenue it would receive from the Greater Sunrise gas development to Timor-Leste as part of a new partnership.
Chinese envoy warns trade ties at risk over Darwin Port
Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian says trade and investment could suffer, even as he casts Beijing as a steadier partner for Australia than a Trump-led US.
Trump’s NDS treats foreign policy like a property deal
Australia is not mentioned in the National Defence Strategy. But this should not be read as a free pass to continue doing the minimum on defence.
Starmer to meet Xi, walking ‘diplomatic tightrope’ amid Trump upheaval
Britain’s prime minister is the latest G7 leader to head to China in pursuit of better economic ties as a buffer against the US president’s trade turbulence.
‘Kill switch’ risk: Data centres are the next national security fight
Foreign-owned server farms pose a “bricks and mortar” risk; a hostile owner could shut down the facility by simply turning off the air conditioning.
Carney buries globalisation – then trades with China
Carney’s US derisking strategy entails cosying up to another coercive partner, China, and agreeing to a trade deal that will undermine Canada’s car production.
Gleeful China sees opportunity as Trump ruptures world order
The US president’s confrontational foreign policy is fuelling Chinese confidence about forging stronger alliances with US allies. Netizens are celebrating.
Trump threatens 100pc tariffs on Canada over China deal
The president issued the threat as Canada secured a trade deal with China and just days after Mark Carney suggested the US was “rupturing” the world order.
TikTok will live on in US as deal ends years of drama
TikTok and its Chinese parent ByteDance have closed a long-awaited deal to transfer parts of its US operations to American investors, ending fears it will be banned there.
Beijing warns iron-ore exports at risk over Australian steel tariffs
In a letter to the federal government, Beijing warned its steel sector was reliant on Australian iron ore and rejected accusations it was subsidising its manufacturers.
Government weighs emergency tariffs on Chinese steel imports
Any restrictions would test the trade detente Albanese has painstakingly rebuilt with Beijing after years of tariffs and trade bans imposed under the Coalition.
