1 online resource (20 pages) : color illustrations
Summary
China's profile in the Pacific Islands has grown and has spurred a resurgence of American interest in the region. These developments have led a number of analysts to speculate about a new great-power competition being played out in the Pacific Islands. Placing China's activities in the region in a geo-strategic paradigm akin to that of East Asia is, however, inappropriate and potentially counter-productive, obscuring an understanding of the transformative economic role China could play in the region. There is little evidence that China is doing anything more than supporting its commercial interests and pursuing South-South cooperation. Even if China has other ambitions, its ability to seriously challenge the dominant role of established powers such as Australia and the United States in the region is limited. Australia and the United States should cooperate with China in areas that support Pacific Island priorities rather than building any new security or diplomatic arrangements designed to compete with it. The goal should be to maximise the benefits of China's new role in the region, while helping to minimise the negative consequences that do flow from some of China's commercial and development activities in the Pacific Islands
Notes
"May 2013."
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 18-20)
Notes
Online resource; title from PDF page 1 (Lowy, viewed October 27, 2013)