Blog
Oceania

Jacinda Ardern Strikes a Softer Tone on China
By Geoffrey Miller
Throughout a recent speech, New Zealand’s prime minister was mild with her criticism of China and optimistic about the health and future of the bilateral relationship.

Chinese Company Eyes Solomon Islands Deep-water Port
By Rod McGuirk
A Chinese delegation visited the plantation that covers most of Kolombangar Island in 2019, asking questions about the length of the wharf and depth of the water.

Are Australia and New Zealand Compromising on Democratic Ideals in the Pacific?
By Grant Wyeth
The best approach to safeguarding democracy in the region is for both countries to demonstrate the prosperity and human flourishing that can flow from good governance.

Micronesia’s First COVID-19 Outbreak Balloons, Causing Alarm
By Nick Perry
Micronesia has logged over 1,000 cases just a week since becoming the final nation in the world with a population of more than 100,000 to experience a COVID outbreak.

How Australia Can Help Sri Lanka
By Grant Wyeth
If the northeast Indian Ocean is of strategic interest to Australia, then the current economic and political crisis in Sri Lanka ought to be a pressing concern for Canberra.

Was China Behind Kiribati’s Withdrawal From the Pacific Islands Forum?
By Martin Kwan
The withdrawal makes no strategic sense for China, but Kiribati had its own reasons to exit the PIF.

Can the US Open a ‘New Chapter’ With the Pacific?
By Patricia O’Brien
A U.S. return to the Pacific could yield great benefit, but that return has to be done right, and it should start with an upscaling of America’s Pacific literacy.

The Politics Behind Who is Attending the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting
By Patricia O’Brien
Dialogue partners were disinvited from the PIF meeting this week as the organization wrestles with internal divisions. But U.S. Vice President Harris got to speak virtually to the forum anyway.

Queensland: A Political Conundrum
By Grant Wyeth
What explains Queensland's unique -- and divergent -- political choices at the state and federal levels?

Exit Kiribati? The Pacific Islands Forum Faces Further Strife
By Larissa Stünkel and Marc Lanteigne
Despite a deal between the PIF and other Micronesian states, Kiribati declared it still intends to withdraw from the premier regional forum.

Abe Shinzo: Australia Has Lost Its ‘Best Friend’ in Asia
By David Walton and Daisuke Akimoto
Abe was the first Japanese prime minister to place a priority on ties with Canberra.

Australia’s New Government and Its Participation in Asia
By SATAKE Tomohiko
A reemerging threat has a long history.