Pacific diplomacy
Updated
Foreign relations
Australia fires Tomahawk missile for first time, spends $140m to China-proof Nauru
Faced with challenges in the Indo-Pacific, Australia revealed it test-fired a Tomahawk missile recently as it ramps up its long-range strike capability.
- by Matthew Knott
Latest
Opinion
Foreign relations
Forget ping-pong. When competing with China, it’s rugby league diplomacy that matters
It’s the ultimate display of soft diplomacy, but when it comes to the brand new NRL team for Papua New Guinea, Australia’s playing hardball with China.
- by Matthew Knott
Exclusive
PNG
PNG minister says $600m NRL deal ‘nothing to do with China’
PNG’s foreign minister said its government had set aside more than $38 million to begin building facilities and a deal could be announced as early as next week.
- by Chris Barrett
Exclusive
Foreign relations
Albanese wants to China-proof the Pacific, but Nauru is driving a hard bargain
As Australia seeks to prevent China from gaining a security foothold in the Pacific, island nations are negotiating hard.
- by Matthew Knott
Opinion
Political leadership
Time to land ‘Airbus Albo’. Letting fly over PM’s travels is plain silly
If Australia wants to wield its influence on the global stage, the PM has to be at important international events. Creating unnecessary turbulence about it makes us look small.
- by David Crowe
Australia backstabs France over submarines, you couldn’t script it. But they did
Season 2 of Netflix’s The Diplomat stars Keri Russell as the US ambassador to the UK – and Australia as a back-stabbing support act.
- by Karl Quinn
Pacific leaders blame Australia for role in climate crisis
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had barely touched down in Samoa when the Commonwealth summit faced a split over who should pay to cut emissions.
- by David Crowe
Opinion
King Charles III
The King loves Australia but his next stop’s the big one (and China will be watching)
In Samoa, assembled nations will decide the Commonwealth’s next secretary-general. It will be one of three Africans whose countries are beneficiaries of China’s largesse
- by George Brandis
Opinion
Opinion
Australia’s arm-wrestle with China is all over the billboards
Anyone who doubts Australia and China are in what Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong called a “permanent contest” in the Pacific needs to think again.
- by Richard McGregor
Exclusive
Investigations
PNG’s Australian integrity chief faces his own corruption investigation
The Australian lawyer trusted with running Papua New Guinea’s new anti-corruption body faces allegations he tried to inappropriately gather more power into his position.
- by Nick McKenzie
Exclusive
Foreign aid
The World Bank head has thoughts on the Pacific – and needs Australia’s help
Ajay Banga will make the first visit to Pacific Island nations by a World Bank leader in almost 50 years.
- by Peter Hartcher