Australia to bulk up NATO ties as Albanese heads to Europe

News Snapshot:

NATO, which originally begin as an anti-communist military pact covering the North Atlantic, has expanded its focus in recent years to include the risk to global security posed by China, including cyberattacks, weaponisation of trade and danger of conflict over Taiwan. NATO plans to open a liaison office for the Indo-Pacific in Tokyo, with Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg saying earlier this year, “What is happening in Europe today, could happen in Asia tomorrow”. In the lead-up to next week’s summit, Australia and the other IP4 nations have been negotiating new agreements with NATO, called Individually Tailored Partnership Programs (ITPPs), elevating their...