Japan: Stability in Abe’s office is crucial to regional security (David Lang, The Australian, ASPI)

https://www.aspi.org.au/opinion/japan-stability-in-abes-office-is-crucial-to-regional-security

In the wash-up, Sri Lankan asylum loser wins (Greg Bearup, The Australian, South Asia Monitor)

http://southasiamonitor.org/news/in-the-wash-up-sri-lankan-asylum-loser-wins/n/20165

With Duterte dealing with China, Australia should offer advisers (Malcolm Davis, Anthony Bergin, The Australian, ASPI)

https://www.aspi.org.au/opinion/with-duterte-dealing-with-china,-australia-should-offer-advisers

Shaming Beijing over the Spratlys needs to be a green button issue (Anthony Bergin, ASPI, The Australian)

International law spoke two months ago on the South China Sea. But to date it’s not looking as though the ruling by the Arbitral Tribunal in The Hague is having much strategic impact in the region.

https://www.aspi.org.au/opinion/shaming-beijing-over-the-spratlys-needs-to-be-a-green-button-issue

Greater effort needed to disarm terrorist bombers (Anthony Bergin, Jacinta Carroll, The Australian, ASPI)

Despite the fact that a significant number of Australian terrorist ­incidents over the past decade have involved explosives, chemicals used to make explosives, hoax bombs or the threat to use explosives, we are not prepared for a ­terrorist attack using explosives.

https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/opinion/greater-effort-needed-to-disarm-terrorist-bombers

Citizenship loss provisions need expansion to counter terrorist threat (Jacinta Carroll, Anthony Bergin, The Australian, ASPI)

https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/opinion/citizenship-loss-provisions-need-expansion-to-counter-terrorist-threat

Beijing’s defence spending cut may still trigger an arms race (Malcolm Davis, ASPI, The Australian)

China’s National People’s Congress announced another increase in defence spending over the weekend, with large investments in military modernisation.

https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/opinion/beijings-defence-spending-cut-may-still-trigger-an-arms-race

Time to plan for the Don doctrine (Tom Hanson, ASPI, The Australian)

Donald Trump was the runaway winner in the Super Tuesday Republican primaries, winning seven of 11 contests. Although not guaranteed to be the party’s nominee for the US presidency, prudent observers from this side of the international dateline should be delving into the potential impact on Australia of a Trump electoral victory in November.

https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/opinion/time-to-plan-for-the-don-doctrine

Darwin defence hub crucial to white paper’s diplomatic ambitions (Anthony Bergin, The Australian, ASPI)

https://www.aspi.org.au/publications/opinion-pieces/darwin-defence-hub-crucial-to-white-papers-diplomatic-ambitions