The Australian federal government recently resolved to scrap the Victorian state government’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The timing of this decision needs to be contemplated as ongoing developments may trouble bilateral relations between Australia and China, writes John Varano.

The COVID-19 pandemic has ignited new debate on China’s flagship foreign policy, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Against the official position of the Australian federal government, the state of Victoria has recently signed on.

China seems poised to emerge from the current crises stronger than before. This will test the Sino-Australian relationship that has been characterised by mutual strategic interest and mutual distrust.

Two leading Pacific academics, Tarcisius Kabutaulaka and Katerina Teaiwa, have criticised the security focus of Australia’s “step up” in the Pacific.

Today marks 20 years since the first time UN peacekeepers were directed to protect civilians from physical violence in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Since then, the Protection of Civilians (PoC) mandate has become a centre of gravity for peacekeeping operations but also for the UN...