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Melbourne Asia Review is an initiative of the Asia Institute. Any inquiries about Melbourne Asia Review should be directed to the Managing Editor, Cathy Harper.

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Edition 9, 2022

The power politics of the Indo-Pacific in and after COVID-19

INTRODUCTION: The geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific

The war in Ukraine has thrown into relief the prospects for peace in the Indo-Pacific.

  • Professor Timothy J. Lynch and Professor Robert S. Ross

Biden’s China policy following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan

The impacts on perceptions of US power in the Indo-Pacific are now unavoidably tied to the botched US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

South Korea’s geopolitics: Challenges and strategic choices

It will not be easy for the Yoon government to totally ignore the geopolitical and geoeconomic threats coming from China.

North Korea’s nuclear weapons have not been a ‘game changer’

Pyongyang is a regional irritant and international outlaw government, but it hasn't become more aggressive since becoming a de facto nuclear weapons state.

China and Australia: Economic decoupling?

Trade has caught most headlines, but it is the volume of capital flow between the two countries that speaks to declining levels of trust and good will.

How India is dealing with China’s rising power

India has strengthened ties with most of its South Asian neighbours, the US and Russia, while at the same time participating in security groupings with China.

India and the Quad: Chinese belligerence and Indian resilience

New Delhi has not been shy of challenging Beijing’s actions on its disputed borders and other matters.

The more things change…How regional security multilateralism in the Asia Pacific is evolving

How relevant is ASEAN's brand of inclusive multilateralism amid the growth of minilateral and non-ASEAN-centred arrangements such as AUKUS?

INTERVIEW: Women play a key role in preventing geopolitical conflict and the success of peacekeeping initiatives

The lives of civilians, particularly women, are often overlooked in relation to the impact of geopolitical competition.

Special Analysis

WEBINAR: The prospects of great power war in the Indo-Pacific

The war in Ukraine invites us to consider the prospects for conflict in Australia’s region.

Special Analysis

WEBINAR: The case for feminist foreign policy in Asia

Feminist foreign policy is an approach which places gender equality as the central goal of foreign policy, in recognition that gender equality is a predictor of peaceful and flourishing societies.

Edition 9, 2022

The power politics of the Indo-Pacific in and after COVID-19

The sources and prospects of U.S.-China security competition

Mutual restraint will be necessary to prevent a continued spiral of tension and increased risk of war.

Is China a threat not because it is strong but because it is weak?

The rise of China is central to the international relations of the Indo-Pacific. But what if that rise has been overstated?

The U.S.-China Power Transition: An assessment of China’s internal view

It is vital to understand how Chinese policymakers and analysts view the regional order, whether one agrees with them or not.

What does Southeast Asia want from Australia?

The region wants Australia to be a stabiliser, not a destabiliser.

Contested Asia and the return of the Quadrilateral Security Initiative

If the Quad becomes a major component of Asia’s security architecture then it is likely to stoke competition between China and the US rather than damp it down.

Out of balance: Central Asia enters the post-Western era

Russian and Chinese-led regional security organisations are providing the bulk of governance and order in the absence of the US and its allies.

Fear, honour and interests: Cooperation, competition and contestation and Australia’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific

The combination of great power contestation, coupled with governance and environmental challenges points to the need for visionary management by Australia.

Is AUKUS really an ‘alliance’?

Questions remain as to the exact nature of AUKUS and what it means for Australia and the Indo-Pacific.

Indonesia’s pandemic foreign policy: Between pragmatism and Jokowi’s legacy

Jakarta seems to be playing a long game: keeping the great powers from outright conflict while reaping as many benefits as possible.

Australia-Japan political and security ties reach new heights

The Australia-Japan relationship is based on complementarity and mutual interests that have been able to withstand difficult periods.

The evolving diplomacy of Australia-China relations 2020-2021: The view from Australia

The relationship is currently at its lowest ebb since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972, with scope for matters to further deteriorate.

Book Review

Contest for the Indo-Pacific: Why China Won’t Map the Future, updated edition by Rory Medcalf

Does the Ukraine conflict reinforce Medcalf’s argument or strengthen the position of those advocating accommodation with a ‘preeminent’ China?

Special Analysis

WEBINAR: What does Southeast Asia want from Australia?

Amid great power competition between China and the US, will Australia deepen its engagement with Southeast Asia?