Latest news with #ComprehensiveStrategicPartnership
West Australian
a day ago
- Politics
- West Australian
Paul Murray: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Government are torpedoing relationship with the US
It's brutally realistic that the compulsion to fight for your life and your country's existence can affect someone's thinking about national defence. Israelis don't have the luxury of wishing and hoping that the world was a more peaceful place. Nor do the Ukrainians. Or the Taiwanese. An existential threat will focus the mind on how much to spend on your survival. Do Australians need a more obvious regional menace before we start to think seriously about our national security? As if China didn't make it plain enough with a live firing drill off Sydney and what was obviously meant to be a humiliating circumnavigation of our coastline by part of its navy just to ram home how defenceless we really are. If and when China wants to do anything about it. Should we just bet that it doesn't? Instead, stand back wishing and hoping while China buys off another of our regional neighbours that before President Xi Jinping's elevation — and his aggressively expansionist mindset — it didn't care a fig about. Cash-splashing agreements like the so-called Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the far-distant Cook Islands, all demanding adherence to the One China policy, hardly reflect an altruistic interest in the welfare of the region's inhabitants well beyond its horizons. In the face of a more dangerous world, Australia's dripping-wet lefties write letters to the editor calling for peace. Write them to Xi. And Putin. Or the Ayatollah. Good luck there. The peaceniks admire our Foreign Minister, who always finds some mealy-mouthed way of censuring Israel's efforts to defend itself, words that barely conceal her contempt for the Jewish state. Our Prime Minister, who never matured his political leanings from indoctrination as an undergraduate Bolshevik, waves away demands for increased defence spending like an unwanted smell. The only thing Anthony Albanese ever publicly professed a desire to fight is 'Tories.' And he's obviously far more comfortable in the ideological trenches than confronting the real emerging threats to our national security. Albanese was saved a potential confrontation with Donald Trump this week over his resistance to commit to a realistic national security target because the US President was too busy helping a worthy ally. One that more than pulls its weight in making the world a safer place. But Albanese's day of reckoning for his neglect of our national security will arrive one way or another soon enough. Reality has a nasty way of crashing in. We should all pray that we never face the same sort of existential threats that Israelis wake up to every day. But look at how it responds. Israel spends about 8.8 per cent of its GDP on defence, some US$46.5 billion provided this year. We have set aside US$38.5b ($59b) which represents a shade over 2 per cent. Israel's economy is about a quarter the size of Australia's, 34th in the world against 13th. We are significantly wealthier with GDP per capita of US$57,000 against US$42,000. It has a population of 9.5 million against 27 million. You could fit Israel's land mass 350 times into Australia's. Tasmania is three times bigger. And it is squeezed between countries that want to destroy it while we sit in the splendid isolation of an island continent at the bottom of the world. In the cyberworld, that isolation offers no defence. When Israel launched its attack on Iran's nuclear and missile launching facilities eight days ago, it had more than 200 fighter planes in the air simultaneously. Our air force notionally has 87. Obviously, the defensive needs of our two counties are vastly different. There's no way Israel has the same requirement as us for submarines, but it still has five German-made diesel-electric boats with air-independent propulsion for stealth operations. All are believed to be capable of carrying nuclear-armed missiles. We have six conventionally-armed Collins-class diesel-electric submarines of which only two are believed to be operational at any time. Which is why our commitment to the AUKUS deal and its provision of long-range stealthy nuclear-powered submarines from the US by the early 2030s is fundamental to our defence posture. And which is why the US decision to review the AUKUS deal against Trump's America First policy settings is far more serious than Labor is conceding to the public. Australians need to have a very clear understanding of the timeline that has led to this very serious brinkmanship and how our 'gift horse' attitude has been so damaging. The annual Shangri-La security dialogue in Singapore, much of it held behind closed doors, is one of the most important meetings held by world leaders to discuss the Asia-Pacific region. There were two notable firsts this year. A European, President Emmanuel Macron of France, delivered the keynote address, signifying piqued interest in the region's tensions, and the Chinese Defence Minister was not present for the first time since 2019. But the highlight was the address by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth who said America was 'reorienting towards deterring aggression by communist China' and seeking a situation of 'peace through strength' in which China 'cannot dominate us or our allies and partners.' 'Any attempt by communist China to conquer Taiwan would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world,' Hegseth said. 'We are not going to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent.' He laid down the gauntlet: 'President Trump has said that communist China will not invade Taiwan on his watch.' Hegseth also had a public message for America's allies in the region: 'We ask — and indeed, we insist — that our allies and partners do their part on defence. Sometimes, that means having uncomfortable and tough conversations.' And he set a standard for the commitment: 'NATO members are pledging to spend 5 per cent of their GDP on defence, even Germany. 'So it doesn't make sense for countries in Europe to do that while key allies in Asia spend less on defence in the face of an even more formidable threat, not to mention North Korea.' While that was immediately reported, Hegseth's private demands to Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles were not. As the heat rose around Hegseth's comments, Albanese was again asked about America's demand to the Europeans to lift defence spending commitments — and again he came up short. 'What you should do in defence is decide what you need, your capability, and then provide for it,' Albanese said. 'That's what my Government is doing.' He was leaning, not lifting. Typically. In a clear response to that, the Americans immediately released a readout of Hegseth's bilateral meeting with Marles in which he said Australia should increase its defence spending to 3.5 percent of its GDP as soon as possible. That the Americans saw the need to do that should be deeply embarrassing to Albanese and Marles. But they attempted, as usual, to deflect it. And then the Americans announced the review of AUKUS. That is the pickle we are in. If it is their genuine intention to measure the deal against America First principles, it is hard to see how it can stand in its present form. The so-called 'assurance' Trump gave on the fly to the UK Prime Minister at the G7 on the future of the deal is meaningless for us. It needs output of 2.3 new Virginia-class submarines a year by the early 2030s, but is currently running at 1.2 with no signs of immediate improvement despite an extra injection of $10 billion to boost production. The Americans have already decided that Australia is dragging its feet on defence spending after repeated proddings. Trump has almost certainly concluded that Albanese is recalcitrant. Regardless of what is going on behind the scenes, Trump requires his allies to make public shows of fealty. Albanese was given plenty of opportunity, but preferred to stubbornly decline. The proposal by former home affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo, author of the 2009 defence white paper, to offer the submarine repair shipyard at Henderson, south of Perth, as a joint US/Australian facility went unheeded. The US Navy has a severe backlog in its submarine maintenance program and assured access to Henderson would help clear that, allowing more boats at sea. That in turn would reduce the risk of a US president in 2032 not certifying the transfer of US subs to Australia — as required by law — on the grounds that it would degrade the US submarine capability. Albanese's ingrained leftist instincts against increased defence spending — which traditionally drops under Labor governments anyway — are obvious to everyone. And that includes Trump. For electoral gain, Labor ruthlessly demonised Peter Dutton to look like he was standing too close to Trump. Now Albanese will be made to pay for not being close enough.
NDTV
a day ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Kim Jong Un Sends 6,000 More To Kursk After Massive Troop Losses In Russia
North Korea is set to send 6,000 personnel, including combat engineers and military workers, to assist in reconstruction efforts in Russia's Kursk region, according to Moscow's top security official. The announcement was made during Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu's visit to Pyongyang, marking his second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this month, highlighting deepening ties between the two nations. "Chairman of the State Affairs of the DPRK Kim Jong Un has decided to send 1,000 sappers to Russia to clear mines on Russian territory, as well as 5,000 military construction workers to restore infrastructure destroyed by the occupiers," Shoigu said, according to Russian state media TASS. According to Shoigu, Moscow and Pyongyang also plan to create memorials for the Korean soldiers who died while liberating the Kursk Region. "The heads of our states have decided to perpetuate the feat of the soldiers of the Korean People's Army who took part in the fighting. Specifically, we are talking about the unveiling of memorials in Russia and the DPRK in memory of the Korean soldiers who fell in the battles for the liberation of the Russian territory. In this regard, during the visit, the construction of a memorial complex with a museum in Pyongyang with the participation of the Russian side was discussed," he added. According to news agency TASS, Shoigu is visiting Pyongyang for the third time in nearly three months. He explained this frequency by a high pace of implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between Moscow and Pyongyang. "First of all, it is related to the intensity of implementation of this agreement, which was actually signed a year ago," he stressed. "The pace that has been set in the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement, of course, requires constant attention and regular adjustments and decision-making at all levels." According to Business Insider, Kim initially sent some 12,000 troops in the fall of 2024 to Kursk, the oblast where Ukraine entered in August of that year and seized up to 500 square miles of Russian soil. Aided by Pyongyang's soldiers, the Kremlin's forces recaptured almost all of those gains by March 2025, effectively ousting Ukrainian forces from the region by late spring. On June 15, the UK Defense Ministry said in an intelligence update that it estimated that more than 6,000 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded in Kursk.
DW
2 days ago
- Business
- DW
New Zealand pauses Cook Island aid over China deals – DW – 06/19/2025
China has been wooing Pacific Island countries with strategic partnership agreements. New Zealand has said it will pause funding to the Cook Islands until it can take a closer look at these deals. New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Thursday said millions of dollars in funding for the Cook Islands would be suspended while his government examines the "breadth and content" of agreements with China. Luxon, who is visiting China for the first time this week, said the Cook Islands was not transparent about the scope of its strategic partnership with Beijing. "We've suspended some of the aid money until we can get clarity on those issues," he said in Shanghai. The funding pause amounts to a $11 million development assistance payment for the next financial year, according to government figures. New Zealand is the biggest provider of financial support for the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands' China deals The funding pause is part of larger friction between New Zealand, Australia and smaller Pacific island nations that China is approaching with partnership agreements as Beijing works on expanding its influence in the Pacific. In February, the Cook Islands surprised New Zealand by signing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement with China on deep-sea mining, regional cooperation and economic issues. The agreement did not include security cooperation, but it did allow for more China-funded infrastructure projects. The Cook Islands was formerly part of the Colony of New Zealand. Today, it is self-governing and currently has a "free association" relationship New Zealand, sharing a military and passports. New Zealand also provides the Cook Islands with budgetary assistance, and advises on foreign affairs and defense. Cook Islanders can also freely work and live in New Zealand, which heightened security concerns after the agreement with China was signed. China's plan to dominate the seas To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday that "both New Zealand and the Cook Islands are important partners of China," adding that the strategic partnership agreement was not intended to antagonize New Zealand. "China-Cook Islands cooperation targets no third party, nor should it be interfered with or constrained by any third party," Beijing said. Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown said in February that the agreement with Beijing did not "replace our longstanding relationships with New Zealand, Australia and others, but rather complements them, ensuring that we have a diversified portfolio of partnerships." New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon is due to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. New Zealand seeks more 'trust' The funds in question are part of a larger raft of $116 million (€101 million) in aid provided by New Zealand to the Cook Islands over the past three years under its free association agreement and earmarked for health, education and tourism sectors. A spokesperson for New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Thursday said the Cook Islands' agreements with China demonstrated a "a gap in understanding" between the governments "about what our special relationship of free association requires." "New Zealand has therefore paused these payments and will also not consider significant new funding" until the Cook Islands government "takes concrete steps to repair the relationship and restore trust," the spokesperson's statement said. Edited by: Zac Crellin
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Luxon plays down Cook Islands funding pause
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has down-played a pause of nearly $20 million in funding to the Cook Islands during his second day of his trip to China. Luxon spoke to media in Shanghai hours after it became public that New Zealand paused $18.2 million in development assistance to the island nation after its government signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement with China earlier this year. The Cook Islands operates in free association with New Zealand, and while it governs its own affairs, a 2001 Joint Centenary Declaration signed between the two nations requires them to consult each other on defence and security. Speaking to reporters on Thursday morning Foreign Affairs minister Winston Peters said the Cook Islands had failed to give satisfactory answers to New Zealand's questions about the agreement. However Luxon said the dispute lies squarely with the Cook Island government - not China. He said the Cook Islands has obligations to disclose partnership agreements with New Zealand, irrespective of who they're signed with. "Part of our constitutional arrangements as a realm country and free association is that we actually have responsibility for matters around defence and security, and as a result, what we've said from the beginning of the year, we were unhappy and dissatisfied with the fact that the Cook Islands government wasn't open and transparent about its international agreements." Luxon is currently in China on his first official visit and is due to meet with President Xi Jinping shortly. Asked if he expected the topic to be raised in his meeting with the Chinese President, Luxon said the issue was between New Zealand and the Cook Islands. "The Cook Islands people [have] made a massive contribution to New Zealand. They are New Zealand citizens, there's not a Cook Islands citizenship... they get the huge benefit of being part of New Zealand and being citizens of New Zealand with respect to accessing our public services. The Foreign Affairs minister informed the Cook Islands government of the funding pause decision in early June. However, it only became public on Thursday after media reports in the Cook Islands. "We're really proud of them, our issue is not with Cook Islanders, our issue is with the Cook Islands government and Prime Minister Brown not being sufficiently transparent enough," Luxon said. Luxon tore through a blitz of promotional events on his first day in Shanghai, spruiking New Zealand's wares before the serious diplomacy began. When visiting "New Zealand Central" - an event facility run by NZ Trade & Enterprise - the PM announced a new government certification scheme clearing the way for Kiwi-made cosmetics to be sold on Chinese shelves.
1News
3 days ago
- Business
- 1News
NZ pauses nearly $20m in funding to Cook Islands after China agreements
New Zealand has paused nearly $20 million in development assistance to the Cook Islands over its recent dealings with China. New Zealand raised concerns in February, after Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown travelled to China, prior to signing its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the global powerhouse. The deal covered economic, infrastructure and maritime cooperation, as well as seabed mineral development. It comes amid concerns around China's growing influence in the Pacific. In a statement this morning, a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said $18.2 million in development funding for the 2025/26 financial year allotted to the Cook Islands, which is in free association with New Zealand, would not continue 'until the Cook Islands Government takes concrete steps to repair the relationship and restore trust'. Significant new funding would also not be considered. ADVERTISEMENT 'This decision was taken by Minister Peters in early June, and communicated at the time via letter to Cooks Prime Minister Mark Brown.' An agreement between Cook Islands and China is signed, in a video snapshot supplied by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. (Source: Reuters) According to the statement, New Zealand had provided $194.2 million to the Cook Islands through its development programme over the last three years. It said the 'breadth' of the agreements signed between the Cook Islands and China, and the lack of consultation with New Zealand, 'illustrate a gap in understanding between the Cook Islands and New Zealand governments about what our special relationship of free association requires'. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including what will happen to food after supermarket blaze, Trump's dithering over the Middle East, and winter car care tips. (Source: 1News) 'Trust and meaningful engagement are fundamental to free association.' Under the constitutional agreement between New Zealand and the Cook Islands, the nations must cooperate and consult on any issues of defence and security and advise each other of any risks to either state. ADVERTISEMENT Foreign Minister Winston Peters with Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown. (Source: 1News) The spokesperson said New Zealand assessed its development plan in the Cook Islands to ensure it wasn't undermined by the 'increased cooperation' the island nation was planning with China. 'This was required because the Cook Islands Government did not engage with New Zealand in advance of their discussions and agreements with China to ensure our shared interests were not put at risk.' It said New Zealand's concerns and the assessment were 'clearly foreshadowed' to the Cook Islands' Government. Peters this morning told media he had not spoken to anyone from the Cook Islands Government over the last couple of days as 'they'd been told about that a long time ago'. 'This is not new,' he said. The Minister's spokesperson said payments and new funding would not continue until the Cook Islands' Government took 'concrete steps to repair the relationship and restore trust'. ADVERTISEMENT The surprise move, seen as a win for Beijing, has set alarm bells ringing in Wellington. (Source: 1News) 'New Zealand hopes that steps will be taken swiftly to address New Zealand's concerns so that this support can be resumed as soon as possible.' The announcement came as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon visits China. He was due to meet with President Xi Jinping this week. Peters said he was not worried that China would perceive New Zealand's move negatively. 'I went and told the Chinese about our special relationship a long, long time ago. And I went back on my last visit to iterate that there.' He said the constitutional arrangement was 'totally understood' by China. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters speaks to media this morning. (Source: 1News) He said it would not impact Luxon's visit to China, as it was a matter between New Zealand and the Cook Islands. ADVERTISEMENT 'It's to do with our relationship, and what we've committed ourselves to.' Speaking to Breakfast this morning, senior National Minister Chris Bishop said that while he was 'just getting my head around' New Zealand's move, it reflected that the Cook Islands' growing relationship with China had been of concern to New Zealand. Labour MP Kerian McAnulty and National Minister Chris Bishop react to New Zealand's move to pause funding to the Cook Islands over its recent dealings with China. (Source: 1News) 'The special relationship we have of free association between the Cooks and New Zealand has been essentially tarnished somewhat.' Labour's Kerian McAnulty said that while the Cooks' recent move had been concerning, an 'extraordinary piece of news had been thrown at us', especially while the Prime Minister was in China. 'Winston Peters has a lot to answer for today.' He did say, however, the concerns raised by Peters were 'entirely valid' but pulling funding was a "different matter" that should have been further consulted on. ADVERTISEMENT Their relationship with New Zealand meant the Cook Islands were free to make its own moves on policies and partnerships — at home and abroad — while enjoying the benefits of a New Zealand passport and citizenship, plus substantial investment and aid. However, it must consult with New Zealand on any issues of defence and security. In February, hundreds gathered outside the Cook Islands parliament in Avarua to Protest Brown's recent moves. People have taken to the streets to protest the Cook Islands Prime Minister's recent decisions. (Source: 1News) Protesters had concerns around a proposed Cook Islands passport, which had since been put on the 'back burner', a controversial cryptocurrency bill, and the country's recent deals with China. In February, Brown said the Cook Islands valued its relationship with New Zealand, and would "expect the same respect in return". "Disagreements, though difficult, are an inevitable part of international relations, but they should never define the entirety of our engagement". Brown said New Zealand had signed its own agreement with China, and there was no reason why the Cook Islands couldn't. ADVERTISEMENT "As a developed country now, we are required to engage with our development partners on an equal footing," he said.
