https://www.scmp.com/rss/522405/feed The latest news and top stories on Pat Conroy. An Australian politician, he serves as Minister for International Development and the Pacific, having been promoted to Cabinet in July 2024. He has a background in economics and extensive experience in policy development, including defence procurement climate change and energy. His work involves overseeing defence acquisition and sustainment projects, notably boosting Australia’s defence industry for the AUKUS partnership. Conroy authored the... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lucy Quaggin,Khushboo Razdan Lucy Quaggin,Khushboo Razdan Australia’s former prime minister and a prominent China scholar, Kevin Rudd, will step down as ambassador to the United States a year ahead of schedule, a move some analysts say underscores a fundamental shift in how Canberra must navigate a Washington increasingly centred on the personal rapport with US President Donald Trump. The resignation follows a period of heightened friction between Rudd and Trump, punctuated by the “America first” leader’s blunt public declaration in October 2025 that... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3339796/not-trump-compatible-china-expert-rudd-exits-australias-us-ambassador-role?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3339796/not-trump-compatible-china-expert-rudd-exits-australias-us-ambassador-role?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 22:28:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Pentagon said on Thursday it has endorsed the tripartite Aukus security pact with the United Kingdom and Australia, which would involve Canberra’s acquisition of at least three Virginia-class nuclear submarines within 15 years. The administration of Donald Trump said earlier this year it was reviewing a 2021 deal for the nuclear-powered attack submarines signed under his presidential predecessor, Joe Biden. The Department of Defence completed its five-month review, which endorsed the Aukus... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3335291/aukus-submarine-deal-move-full-steam-ahead-after-surviving-trump-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3335291/aukus-submarine-deal-move-full-steam-ahead-after-surviving-trump-review?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 05:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australia would be upgrading its navy with 11 Mogami-class frigates built by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday. Billed as Japan’s biggest defence export deal since World War II, Australia will pay A$10 billion (US$6 billion) over the next 10 years to acquire the fleet of stealth frigates. Australia is in the midst of a major military restructure, bolstering its navy with long-range firepower in an effort to deter China. It is striving to expand... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3320747/japan-wins-us6-billion-deal-give-australia-more-lethal-navy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3320747/japan-wins-us6-billion-deal-give-australia-more-lethal-navy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 01:17:10 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou A month after US President Donald Trump cancelled talks with Anthony Albanese, China rolled out the red carpet for the Australian leader this week. In Beijing, he had a two-hour meeting with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People. Albanese’s fiancee, Jodie Haydon, joined the lunch that followed. He held separate talks with Premier Li Qiang, and they co-chaired a CEO round table attended by nearly 30 Chinese and Australian business executives. At the banquet hosted by Li that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318724/albaneses-china-trip-shows-stiffening-canberras-spine-face-us-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3318724/albaneses-china-trip-shows-stiffening-canberras-spine-face-us-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jul 2025 22:00:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The largest-ever war fighting drills in Australia, Exercise Talisman Sabre, are under way and expected to attract the attention of Chinese spy ships. Talisman Sabre began in 2005 as a biennial joint exercise between the United States and Australia. This year, more than 35,000 military personnel from 19 nations, including Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, will take part over three weeks, Australia’s defence department said on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3318087/australias-largest-ever-military-exercise-underway-chinese-spy-ships-expected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3318087/australias-largest-ever-military-exercise-underway-chinese-spy-ships-expected?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 03:42:17 +0000