Pacific islands: an unexpected new dimension to power struggles between US and China

By Sue Farran, Reader of Law, Newcastle University

The island states of the Pacific – from large Papua New Guinea to the smaller island state of Tuvalu – find themselves in a newly influential position as the west and China battle for their strategic backing.

Their negotiating strength may give them more power to attract international aid to tackle the biggest threat to the region – climate change.

Failing to keep global warming to below a 1.5°C increase is likely to mean the Pacific island nations…

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