Pacific Island countries (PIC) welcome Beijing’s contribution to their development while remaining cautious about its security presence. They continue to view Australia as their preferred security partner, according to a recent collaborative research.
The research report titled “How worried should Canberra be about China’s security interests in the Pacific?” was produced under a joint initiative between China Matters and the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS:ACRI).
As one 2024 report noted, PICs show a clear preference for traditional partners, report author Edward Sing Yue Chan wrote.
“Interviews by the author with officials in Suva [Fiji’s capital] and Honiara [Solomon Islands’ capital] reaffirmed a cautious stance toward PRC security engagement,” reads the paper….
Pacific Island Countries See Australia as Preferred Partner Over China: Research
