A missile test, a missing statement and a battle for influence
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
A photo taken on Sept 25, 2024, and released by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army News and Communication Center showing the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force launching an intercontinental ballistic missile carrying a dummy warhead into the Pacific Ocean, at an undisclosed location.
PHOTO: AFP
Canberra is pouring record aid and diplomacy into neighbouring island nations, but recent developments prove that being the primary donor does not guarantee complete influence.
Australia has spent the past four years trying to cement its position as the Pacific’s partner of choice. It has signed new defence agreements with Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Tuvalu, stepped up high-level visits and backed Pacific priorities such as climate action.