Politics

Samoa's Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, left, and Prime Minister-elect Fiame Naomi Mata’afa: The former has refused to step aside after the latter narrowly won the island nation's election. (Source photos by Akira Kodaka and AP)
Politics

With dueling PMs, Samoa's democratic crisis drags on

Election winner Fiame gains legal and church support as incumbent refuses to quit

2 June 2021
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison poses with New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern before talks in Queenstown, New Zealand, on May 31.
International relations

Australia and New Zealand tout Indo-Pacific ties, reject 'coercion'

At summit, neighbors raise China human rights while sidestepping differences

31 May 2021
Landbridge Group executive Vincent Lai warned the company will demand compensation if Australia cancels its lease over Darwin Port. 
International relations

Chinese owner of Australia's Darwin Port rejects security worry

Landbridge executive insists 99-year lease 'purely commercial'

26 May 2021
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison: If Canberra follows allies in adopting Magnitsky-style sanctions, it could create yet another flashpoint in the countries' tense ties.
Asia Insight

Australia pressed to dispense 'bitter pill' Xinjiang sanctions

Morrison faces calls to match allies' Magnitsky laws but risks China backlash

25 May 2021
Fiame Naomi Mata'afa is expected to become Samoa's first female prime minister after winning an election and two Supreme Court rulings, but the incumbent is resisting the transition.
Politics

Samoa PM-elect locked out of parliament amid 'bloodless coup' fears

Two landmark Supreme Court rulings so far fail to dislodge incumbent

24 May 2021
New Zealand's minister for trade and export growth, Damien O'Connor, speaks to Nikkei Asia during an online interview on May 21. (Photo by Koji Uema)
The Future of Asia 2021

New Zealand will manage China ties in 'predictable' way: minister

Trade chief O'Connor holds out hope for India's return to RCEP deal

21 May 2021
A screen shows the inauguration of President Joe Biden at a shopping mall in Beijing on Jan. 21: the president's honeymoon with China is coming to an end.
Opinion

How far will Biden dare to push China?

President must soon decide how much tougher he wants to become

19 May 2021
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, left, and Kiribati President Taneti Maamau shake hands in Beijing. The president's January 2020 visit produced a cooperation agreement on China's Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.
Indo-Pacific

China extends South Pacific reach by funding runway project

Kiribati, in sea lane between US and Australia, eyes upgrade for planned resort

19 May 2021
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison holds a news conference at the Ampol's Lytton refinery in Brisbane on May 17. (AAP Image/Darren England)
Energy

Australia pledges $1.8bn to keep its last oil refineries humming

Ampol and Viva Energy welcome government package to bolster fuel security

18 May 2021
Samoa opposition leader Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, pictured in April, is vying to become the island's first female prime minister.
Politics

Samoa's historic election saga comes down to Supreme Court ruling

Experts see nation, and Pacific women, on cusp of new era regardless of outcome

14 May 2021
Secretary Antony Blinken and Australian Foreign Minister and Minister for Women Marise Payne hold a joint press availability at the U.S. State Department on May 13. 
US-China tensions

US won't leave Australia alone to face China: Blinken

Beijing's economic bullying of allies will harm Sino-American relations, secretary says

14 May 2021
Xi Jinping inspects troops of the People's Liberation Army in June 2017: the Chinese President's belligerence deserves considerable blame.
Opinion

Is Xi Jinping ruining his chances of a third term?

As China's economy races forward, its 'soft power' veers in reverse

10 May 2021
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2019: Ardern is walking a fine line between criticizing Beijing on human rights and preserving economic ties.
International relations

New Zealand 'shadow boxes' over Xinjiang amid pressure to speak up

Analysts say parliament declaration without 'genocide' likely kept China happy

7 May 2021
A Qantas flight to mark the airline's 100th birthday departs from Sydney Airport in November 2020.
Transportation

Qantas-JAL tie-up faces veto from Australian antitrust regulator

Plan to coordinate flights would undermine post-pandemic competition: watchdog

6 May 2021
China's suspension of an economic dialogue pact with Australia casts doubt on the notion that while ties have deteriorated, day-to-day relations are still intact, according to one expert.
International relations

China freeze on Australia dialogue cuts deeper into practical ties

Beijing's move called 'worrying' but still short of 'nuclear option' on FTA

6 May 2021
New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern smiles during a campaign in Auckland on Oct. 10, 2020.
5 May 2021
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson hosts a virtual G-7 meeting in February. This week's gathering of foreign ministers will be the group's first in-person meeting since COVID-19 hit. (File photo by pool/AP)
International relations

China and Russia's authoritarian challenge hangs over G-7 meeting

India, Australia, South Korea and ASEAN to attend London summit as guests

3 May 2021
New Zealand's Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern said there are things on which China and New Zealand "do not, cannot, and will not agree," but added the differences need not define their ties. 
International relations

Ardern says differences with China harder to reconcile

New Zealand faces pressure from allies for tougher line on Beijing

3 May 2021
Peter Dutton, left, Australia's new defense minister, has signaled a tough stance on China.
1 May 2021
New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta speaks to reporters on April 22. She has caused a stir by confirming a reluctance to participate in Five Eyes joint statements on human rights.
International relations

Five Eyes glare at New Zealand over independent China stance

Ardern and Mahuta walk fine line amid pressure to speak out on human rights

26 April 2021
Indonesian military officials show debris believed to have come from the missing submarine on April 24. (Courtesy of Indonesian military)
International relations

Indonesian submarine deemed to have sunk after debris turns up

Oxygen was expected to run out early Saturday, depending on electricity

24 April 2021
In better days: Staff members chat at a Beijing venue as they prepare a seminar of Australia-China bilateral cooperation in resources and infrastructure in Western  Australia. 
Belt and Road

Australia nixes state Belt and Road deals with China in first veto

Morrison government uses new powers amid concerns over Beijing's influence

22 April 2021
Japan will propose an in-person summit with fellow Quad members the U.S., India and Australia.
International relations

Japan seeks first in-person Quad summit in June on G-7 sidelines

Suga plans trip to India after Washington visit to shore up support

8 April 2021
French amphibious assault helicopter carrier, Tonnerre, approaches to dock at Cochin Port, in Kochi on March 30.
Indo-Pacific

France to lead Quad naval drill in Indo-Pacific challenge to China

Five-nation exercise in Bay of Bengal seeks to promote maritime cooperation

2 April 2021
Australian officials deliver thousands of initial AstraZeneca vaccine doses to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on March 23.
Coronavirus

Australia vaccine diplomacy tested as COVID slams Papua New Guinea

Vying with China for Pacific influence, Quad member aims to win over skeptics

31 March 2021