This article is part of a series of thought pieces published alongside our report, Maritime Security in an Age of Uncertainty.
The growth and deepening engagement with the Pacific region as “family” by both the United States and Australia has become increasingly apparent in recent years. While the Pacific is home to more than 20 sovereign countries and territories, it is “blue gold” to interested partners outside the region because of its rich ocean resources and strategic maritime routes and sea lanes making it the center of global geopolitics.
Since the signing of the Security Agreement between Solomon Islands and China in April 2022, the Pacific has experienced a great degree of interest from partners including the United States, strengthened influence from Australia and New Zealand, and external partners in Europe. As a result, engagement from United States and China has become a key focus for Pacific Island countries. This is despite the jampacked agenda at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders outcomes that highlight the needs and the challenges of the region. Concomitantly, navigating relationships with the two superpowers raises unique security and sovereignty concerns. Only three countries in the Pacific recognize Taiwan—Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu. China therefore has more than two-thirds of the Pacific in recognition of its diplomatic ties and stature.
Maritime security encompasses not only the defense of territorial waters but also the protection of natural resources, such as fisheries, and the management of transnational threats, including illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, and climate-related disasters. For the Pacific, maritime security is foundational for food security, economic stability, and environmental protection. Shipping is a central medium for access to the islands and for the delivery of goods. However, due to limited resources and capacity, many Pacific Island nations rely on partnerships with larger countries to address these security challenges. The 2018 Boe Declaration underscores the greatest threat to Pacific Islands: “We reaffirm that climate change remains the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and wellbeing of the peoples of the Pacific and our commitment to progress the implementation of the Paris Agreement.” This year, security interests reached another level with the announcement of Fiji’s “Ocean of Peace” initiative, which focuses on maximizing peace and security in the Pacific. As these nations recognize the importance of maintaining peace and security, the impacts of climate change, coupled with small economies and limited resources, require Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) to focus on development partners, including the United States and China, to fill the funding gaps.
Historically, the United States has maintained strong ties with the Pacific, particularly through strategic alliances with nations such as Australia, New Zealand, and several Compact of Free Association (COFA) states, including Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia. These relationships have provided security, economic assistance, and development support, reflecting the long-standing U.S. commitment to Pacific security. The U.S. presence in the region, such as military bases in Guam and joint defense agreements, continues to play a role in regional security and to serve as a counterbalance to China’s expanding influence. Tuvalu has historical ties, too, with the US that date back to the colonial era, especially during World War II when Washington set up its airbase in Funafuti and two other islands in the group to access Tuvalu and to block off Japanese’s expansion. Other important services such as the U.S. Peace Corps that have contributed to the capacity building and education of children in the 1970s until the 1990s was another U.S. outreach program that had supported Tuvalu and other Pacific countries.
The United States continues to be a strong ally for the Pacific because of its dominance in the United Nations, its military capability, and its financial strength through the Bretton Woods institutions, but there is also a strong desire for respect and recognition of Pacific sovereignty. Many Pacific nations value their historical ties with the United States but prefer a partnership approach that acknowledges their agency and priorities, such as climate finance for mitigation, adaptation, and even loss and damage—over purely strategic military interests.
China’s presence in the Pacific, at the other end of the spectrum, has grown remarkably over the past two decades. With a focus on economic investment, infrastructure projects, and aid, China has established partnerships with several Pacific Island countries, emphasizing development assistance and trade opportunities. For example, through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has funded numerous projects in the Pacific, including very visible projects such as ports, roads, sport facilities, government buildings, and regional conference venues. This support is appealing to many Pacific Island nations that require equitable and accessible funding for infrastructure development but lack the funds to pursue it independently.
The support by China to the Pacific is debatable as some Pacific leaders view China’s engagement with caution, concerned about the possibility of “debt diplomacy,” where countries risk falling into debt and becoming reliant on China. Additionally, while Chinese aid is valuable, Pacific nations are wary of potential “invisible” demands and shifts, which require political influence or military presence that may accompany these investments.
Intrinsically, Pacific nations are at the center of a delicate balancing act between the United States and China. While the assistance in the economic and security spheres is helpful, there is also a concern that competition between the two could increase tensions in the region and dilute the focus on the real problem: accessing the funds to address climate change quickly. Pacific countries aim to protect sovereignty, avoid being drawn into conflicts, and focus on pressing issues, like climate change, which is recognized as the single most existential threat to the Pacific.
Many Pacific leaders advocate for a “Pacific-first” approach, calling for foreign partners to respect the region’s needs and values that highlight the need for international partnerships to reflect Pacific-driven priorities, such as sustainable fisheries management, a resilient and healthy ocean, and climate resilience. For the Pacific, true security means protecting the land, sea, and cultural heritage that sustains the identity of the Pacific people. Efforts to increase data, research, and funding for science and stronger representation of Pacific people in multilateral organizations provide the recognition that Pacific people need for their contexts and challenges to be understood, recognized, and addressed urgently by development partners and diplomatic allies.
Security is more than just military strength; it includes environmental stability, economic resilience, and political independence. It involves the conservation of our cultural ties and the maintenance of our statehood and sovereignty especially in the face of climate change and conflicts. As the influence of the United States and China grows, Pacific nations aim to pursue relationships that align with their values and needs. By advocating for their priorities in regional and international dialogues, Pacific leaders seek to ensure that foreign engagement respects Pacific sovereignty and contributes positively to the long-term well-being of their island communities.
