Countering Chinese influence in Pacific Islands

By Dammika Adhikari

China is expanding its statecraft in various subcontinents in the world to show its hegemony in the contemporary world. A large number of infrastructure projects, financial assistance and military assistance were provided to several countries under the belt and road initiative. This has helped China to ensure consistency in economic growth, foreign direct investment in developing countries and secure strategically important sea lanes. The Chinese have expanded its sphere of influence to the Pacific Island nations. The Chinese military has increased its blue water capability and several military bases in foreign countries.

Australia is dominating power in the Pacific Island region which has its sphere of influence in a number of island nations. The Defence white paper of Australia 2013 identified the strategic importance of security and stability in these islands, climate change and the economic prosperity of these island nations. Australia has engaged actively in establishing regional peace among the Pacific Islands, which provided financial assistance, disaster mitigation support, training of police and military personnel and support to operationalised response on countering COVID-19 in these Pacific islands. Australia is the largest development partner in the region and has several infrastructure projects in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji. There are several substantial bilateral programs with Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Nauru and other Pacific Island countries.

Since 2006, China has gradually expanded its trade, diplomatic and commercial activities. More than 1.7 billion dollars of financial support has been granted to these Pacific Islands during the period of the year 2006-2017. Moreover, it expanded its influence on the Pacific Islands to take more advantage of trade activities, securing sea lines of communications to ensure the smooth flow of trade and cargo, receiving more support at the United Nations General assembly and enhancing more strategic military partnerships with these islands to obtain more advantage over South Pacific China sea issue. The recent security pact with Solomon Island raised concern in the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand about its hidden agenda. The Australian government said that Chinese ships would be permitted to dock on the Islands and Beijing could send troops to assist maintain social order. 

This Chinese presence has challenged the United States America’s long-standing relationship with the freely associated states (FAS) of Hawaii and the territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. The United States also maintains special relationships with three sovereign countries in the northern Pacific, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The countries are received limited financial, military and security assistance. China’s activities will be curtailed in the Pacific region due to this strategic partnership.

Joe Biden has a visionary policy on the Pacific Islands. However, in the last five years, The United States of America has increased diplomatic ties with these island nations. In February Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Fiji, the first such visit in three decades. In April, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kristen brink and National Security Council Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell travelled to Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. In September of this year the White household its first ever Pacific nation leaders conference to address to the growing presence of China in Pacific Island Nations and the United States ambitions. This summit ended on a positive note and agreed to provide additional $ 810 financial support to Pacific Islands and $ 130 to mitigate climate changes in the Pacific nations. 

These developments proved how much world superpowers are interested in the Pacific Island nations. In future there will be more competition expected in this region between the United States of America lead its allies and China. China could have to face two fronts shortly and this would be the future flash point in the South China Sea.