Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Quang discussed Chinese foreign interference in Australia and the situation of Australian national Yang Hengjun, incarcerated in China for alleged spying.

Amid reports of a dip in US production of nuclear submarines and concerns about the future of the agreement under Donald Trump, some have questioned the viability of AUKUS. But they need not worry.

The Royal Australian Navy is in a mess – money has been spent on buying warships that are not making the grade. A new review aims to turn that around.

Signing up to ‘pillar two’ of the AUKUS alliance sits uneasily with New Zealand’s distinctive worldview – and could aggravate its wider foreign policy challenges.

With geopolitical tension and uncertainty rising, New Zealand’s ruling coalition faces urgent questions about defence spending, alliances and its independent foreign policy.

Specific details about which manufacturers receive export permits and the nature of the exported goods are not provided publicly. This lack of transparency needs to change.

From the war in Ukraine and China’s role in the Pacific, to multi-billion-dollar military decisions, New Zealand will face huge challenges during the next term of government.

Does New Zealand have more to lose than gain by joining ‘pillar two’ of the AUKUS security pact? The next government will have to decide, with serious implications for the country’s foreign policy.

The Security Intelligence Service needs public support and trust to do its work well. Adding a degree of transparency to it’s annual threat assessment should help.

New Zealand faces “more geostrategic challenges than we have had in decades”, according to the defence minister. A broad defence and security reset aims to prepare the country for what may be ahead.

The last of four new Boeing P-8A Poseidon aircraft has landed, substantially increasing New Zealand’s surveillance – and military – capacity. But how they are best deployed is open to debate.