Pacific Island Nations

Japan seeks to counter China’s expanding influence in Pacific by strengthening ties with Island Nations

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February 25, 2026 TOKYO – Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi expressed Japan’s intention to strengthen ties with 14 Pacific Island nations through such means as personnel exchanges and building a relationship based on multilayered cooperation, at the third Japan Pacific Islands Defense Dialogue which concluded on Tuesday. China seeks to expand its influence over the island … Read more

The Pacific in 2025: Navigating the shared challenges

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January 8, 2025 JAKARTA – Vanuatu’s devastating earthquake and dramatic political developments in Tonga and New Caledonia at the end of 2024 set the tone for the coming year in the Pacific. The incoming Trump administration adds another level of uncertainty, ranging from the geostrategic competition with China and the region’s resulting militarization through to … Read more