Australia’s current South China Sea policies are under strain from two sides. This briefing argues that Australia should advocate for regular Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) Leaders’ Summits and inclusion of China’s unlawful maritime claims and activities in the South China Sea on the agenda.

Faced with the possibility of another Taiwan Strait crisis, more and more observers in Washington and elsewhere are making the case for an unambiguous US commitment to defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese attack. This essay contends that the United States has options between total commitment and abandonment.

After nearly nine years in office, Xi Jinping now stands as the overwhelmingly dominant figure in China’s political system. This paper assesses China’s possible leadership succession scenarios in the coming years and decades.

Chinese–Australian communities are invaluable sources of China-related expertise, yet they are under-represented in the country’s public service roles. This paper argues that a better harnessing of the skills and knowledge of the Chinese–Australian community would have substantial benefits for Australian policy-making in one of its most important bilateral relationships.

The Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) provides Australia with a peaceful, non-militarised south. This report asserts that Australia should front load its support for the ATS, increasing both the substance and profile of our Antarctic activities.