Australia

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, right, greets Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape at Parliament House in Canberra on Feb. 8. (AAP Image via AP)
International relations

PNG's Marape hails close ties in Australia speech as China seeks inroads

Address follows reports Beijing wants a security deal with the Pacific state

8 February 2024
Australia Minister for Resources Madeleine King speaks to Nikkei Asia on Jan. 30 in Tokyo. (Photo by Yuki Kohara) 
Commodities

Australia to propose green mining standards amid slump in EV metals

Resources minister cites need to protect industry as Asian competition grows

7 February 2024
A man walks past the Reserve Bank of Australia in Sydney: The country's central bank held its policy interest rate steady, at 4.35%, at its latest meeting, which ended Feb. 6.
Economy

Australian central bank stands pat amid 'uncertain' outlook

Reserve Bank of Australia says inflation easing, but economy faces headwinds

6 February 2024
A Chinese national flag waves outside the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court where Australian writer Yang Hengjun faced trial on espionage charges in May 2021.
International relations

Australia 'appalled' after China hands writer suspended death sentence

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says ambassador summoned over Yang Hengjun case

5 February 2024
A DP World facility in Sydney. Australia's largest stevedore and the Maritime Union of Australia have settled a labor dispute.
Trade

Australian port dispute is resolved by union-company agreement

Tentative deal ends partial strikes that led to shipping delays and hurt economy

2 February 2024
Chinese fans showed up in droves to support Zheng Qinwen at the Australian Open in Melbourne. Zheng is China's top female tennis player. (Photo by Sophie Mak)
Sports

Australian Open's efforts to court China's tennis fans pay off

Star turns from Zheng Qinwen and others boost tourism, sponsorships and more

29 January 2024
Volatile prices of nickel and other EV battery materials are creating headaches for Australia's resource sector. 
Market Spotlight

Australia's EV battery metals industry faces Indonesia, China challenges

Weak nickel and lithium prices force some miners to stop digging

29 January 2024
A man votes in Tuvalu's general elections in Funafuti on Jan. 26. (Tuvalu Election Office via Reuters)
Politics

Tuvalu votes as election spotlights climate migration, Taiwan ties

Outcome could affect security deal with Australia and Pacific geopolitics

26 January 2024
From the Philippine peso to the Australian dollar, a wide range of Asia-Pacific currencies faces weakness against the U.S. dollar. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Currencies

Philippine peso, Malaysian ringgit sink on China's economic woes

Trade ties to No. 2 economy spur rate cut speculation in Australia and Thailand

25 January 2024
Mine in Western Australia
Commodities

Australian government to meet battery metal producers as prices slump

Projects halting or slowing in face of plunging nickel, lithium markets

23 January 2024
A branch of Australian health insurer Medibank Private in Sydney. A 2022 security breach led to the theft of millions of records.
Crime

Australia sanctions Russian hacker for Medibank breach

Aleksandr Ermakov is the first person penalized under new cyber laws

23 January 2024
Australian writer Yang Hengjun was tried on espionage charges at the No. 2 Intermediate People's Court in Beijing.
International relations

Renewed calls for China to free Australian writer Yang five years on

Beijing envoy says case differs from that of released Australian journalist Cheng

19 January 2024
A dispute between dockworkers in Australia and DP World, the country's largest port operator, is causing problems for the economy.
Supply Chain

Australian port dispute brings increasing pain to economy

Union tries to avoid arbitrator intervention, minister rules out stepping in

18 January 2024
Xiao Qian, China's ambassador to Australia, speaks at a news briefing on Jan. 17.
International relations

China eyes defense ties reboot with Australia despite Taiwan tensions

Beijing envoy Xiao suggests Japan injured Australian divers in naval incident

17 January 2024
Dampier Salt exports mainly to Asia, including Japan. (Photo by Rurika Imahashi) 
Commodities

Rio Tinto-backed Australian salt exporter to sell production site

Dampier Salt supplies majority of Japan's 7m tonnes in annual imports

17 January 2024
A United States Army M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) fires a missile in Australia's Northern Territory. (Photo courtesy of Australian Department of Defence)
Aerospace & Defense Industries

Australia inks Lockheed Martin deal to build guided missiles at home

Contract worth $24m part of broader plans to cover arsenal's 'strike gap'

16 January 2024
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said William Lai Ching-te's election victory was a "matter for the people of Taiwan." (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Kento Awashima and Reuters)
Taiwan elections

Australia cautions Beijing to 'respect' outcome of Taiwan elections

China appeared to dismiss Democratic Progressive Party's victory in weekend polls

16 January 2024
Australian drivers are starting to warm to electric vehicles, but adoption rates still lag those of most global peers. 
Automobiles

Australian EV sales accelerate as nation plays catch-up on adoption

Country still trails global peers amid wait for government fuel standard policy

13 January 2024
Naomi Osaka serves during a match in the Brisbane International tennis tournament on Jan. 1.
Sports

New mom Naomi Osaka playing for 'something bigger'

Tennis star aiming for grand slam glory at Australian Open

13 January 2024
Douglas Hsu, Taiwan's chief representative in Australia, speaks online to Nikkei Asia on Jan. 12. 
Defense

Taiwan 'open' to deeper AUKUS ties amid election meddling fears

Representative to Australia highlights growing China interference in cyberspace

12 January 2024
A Lynas worker walks past sacks of rare earth concentrate waiting to be shipped to Malaysia, at Mount Weld, northeast of Perth, in 2019. Australia is funding rare earth and critical mineral research.
Commodities

Australia funds rare earth research as West seeks China alternatives

Canberra to spend $14m to boost rare earth and critical minerals sectors

8 January 2024
Rising Australian R&B stars, from left, Anieszka, Budjerah and Milan Ring. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Kobla Photography, Max Doyle, James Evans)
Arts

Musical diversity kindles unique Australian R&B culture

Emerging artists reflect social changes better than any other music genre

6 January 2024
A cyberattack on Australia's largest port operator in November disrupted the nation's economy. 
Opinion

Asia's accelerating digitalization is making it more vulnerable

To reduce cyberattack risks to infrastructure, region must adopt more secure systems

3 January 2024
Extreme conditions like drought are expected to become increasingly common across much of Asia in the coming decades.
Climate Change

Climate change to spur global migration, U.K. science journalist warns

Gaia Vince sees humanity moving north as concurrent disasters make tropics 'unlivable'

2 January 2024
Australian health food company Blackmores has sales channels in Australia and 12 overseas markets including Thailand and China.
Food & Beverage

Kirin to use Blackmores as channel to sell proprietary ingredient

Brewer to more than double Asian markets for its plasma lactic acid

31 December 2023