As reported in Breaking Defense, “Military training and aid from Australia and the United States alone is not likely to seal the deal with Pacific Island states like Kiribati and the Solomon Islands as the larger countries try to blunt China’s influence operations in the region. Instead, climate change assistance, targeted development help and much improved strategic messaging and engagement are much more likely to be effective in keeping Beijing at bay in the crucial island states that cover a huge portion of the Pacific Ocean.”
Breaking Defense interviewed MITRE Principal Analyst Shane Bilsborough on our wargaming exercise called SAGE Dragon that explored how the U.S. and key allies like Australia might better compete for influence among the Pacific Island nations, a region coveted for its economic and military benefits.