Australia and the US are shoring up their support in the Pacific Islands after China proposed a security and economic framework that could bolster its presence in the region.
The draft China-Pacific Island Countries Common Development Vision, first reported by Reuters, was sent last week to almost a dozen Pacific Island nations. It proposed a range of measures, including high-level police training, network and cyber security collaboration, as well as the development of free-trade zones with China.
The proposal was released ahead of Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to the islands and represents a broader push by Beijing to strengthen ties with the region after it signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands.