This paper examines the ongoing clash in the Philippines between government officials who favour appeasement, on the one hand, and those pushing for a policy of constrainment towards China in the South China Sea on the other – and how Australia can help tip the balance towards constrainment.

Indo-Pacific island states face diverse challenges as they grapple with their own unique vulnerabilities to the geopolitical consequences of growing strategic competition in the region. This report explores the vulnerability of island states to economic coercion and the risks they face in navigating the growing economic power of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

The iron ore market is wrong-footing forecasters again, as it has throughout the last 20 years. This report argues that Australia’s troubled relationship with China will be influenced by which path the iron ore market takes over the medium term.

Australia’s decision to join with the United States and the United Kingdom to build Australian long-range nuclear-powered submarines has little to do with the defence of Australia, writes Allan Behm.

This special report considers the relationship between Australia's business and trade positioning in the context of the impacts of COVID-19, natural disasters and the actions of coercive trading partners.