‘We’ve hidden behind a hope that American power and resolve will again prevail. Trump tears away any excuse for wishful thinking.’ MICHAEL WESLEY

The second issue of Australian Foreign Affairs examines the United States’ sudden shift from the Asia Pivot to America First. It provides insights into Donald Trump’s White House and explores how his unpredictable approach to international affairs is affecting the volatile Asian region.

Trump in Asia is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the issues facing Canberra as Australia’s closest ally recasts its alliances.

• Michael Wesley explores the challenges and risks for Australia as it rushes to find a new plan for surviving in a post-America Asia.


• Kim Beazley and L. Gordon Flake assess the North Korean missile crisis and conclude the risk of war is real and rising.


• Andrew Davies analyses the Australian military’s dependence on the United States and the trade-off for Canberra as it weighs the cost of self-reliance.


• David Kilcullen reports from the United States on Trump’s strange mix of swagger, fury and orthodoxy, and the implications for Australia of this erratic president and his team.


• Anna Fifield examines the growing rivalry between China and Japan.


• Cynthia Banham explores the essential qualities for an Australian foreign minister.


• Hamish McDonald reports on the role of the Indonesian military in the mass killings of 1965–66.

Australian Foreign Affairs is published three times a year and seeks to explore – and encourage – debate on Australia’s place in the world and global outlook.