Pacific islands new diplomatic battleground for China and the West
As Beijing vies for influence and steps up its campaign to isolate Taipei, other powers are also trying to boost their presence in the region
Pacific island countries have become a new diplomatic battleground as China and Western nations vie for influence in the region, and as Beijing ramps up efforts to squeeze Taiwan’s international space.
That presence is expected to be more visible in the coming months, with Chinese President Xi Jinping planning a summit for regional leaders in Papua New Guinea in November – just before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit is to be held there.
And with US President Donald Trump absent from the Apec summit this year – Vice-President Mike Pence will go in his place – analysts say Beijing will be trying to position itself to fill the leadership vacuum.
“It will certainly increase US allies’ concerns about Washington potentially withdrawing its commitment to the region … they may instead try to build relations with China,” said Zhang Baohui, a political science professor and director of the Centre for Asian Pacific Studies at Lingnan University in Hong Kong.
“The region is close to key US strategic assets in the Pacific Ocean, like Hawaii and Midway Island … although there is no evidence that Beijing has a naval agenda in the region as of now. If China is to pursue a policy of establishing naval bases in the region, the US will have profound concerns,” he said.
There are just 2.3 million people living in the Pacific island countries, but the region is important for America’s Indo-Pacific strategy and it also has geopolitical significance for China. Six of the 11 nations have diplomatic ties with Taipei but Beijing is pushing for them to switch recognition – both sides have been trying to win favour by offering aid and support.