China Competes For Influence In The South Pacific

The South Pacific, dotted with small and vulnerable island states, has become a battleground for influence between China and the traditional benefactors of Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.

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As New Zealand’s “Maritime Security Strategy 2024” document, released in June, explained, “Certain countries are increasingly exercising hard power to test the limits of the rulesbased international system, at the expense of rules that serve smaller countries like New Zealand ... Other states in our maritime area of interest are more assertively pursuing diplomatic, trade, security and development initiatives aimed at enhancing their influence, increasingly shaping international approaches to promote their vision, and challenging international rules and norms.”