Oceania, Australia and New Zealand in the Context of the U.S.-China Rivalry

Abstract

The article looks at the current state of affairs in Oceania against the background of the growing Chinese influence and the beginning of the U.S.-China rivalry in almost all regions of the world. The author shows what role the region plays for the United States and China and analyzes how the rise of China is affecting the Pacific island states, as well as Australia and New Zealand. He notes that the main driver in relations between China and the Pacific island states is the provision of economic assistance on more favorable terms. As for relations with Australia and New Zealand, China's interest is primarily associated with the purchase of goods it needs, primarily minerals, timber and agricultural products. For the United States, the region is interesting almost exclusively in the context of its military presence there. For some time now, the growing influence of China in Oceania has started to cause strong rejection by Australia and New Zealand, which they explain by concern for their national security. It can be assumed that such a reaction is also largely due to the toughening of the U.S. position in relation to further cooperation with the PRC. The U.S. allies are concerned about the possibility of a military presence of China in Oceania, but in the short and medium term, those concerns are unfounded. The further development of the foreign policy situation in Oceania will be determined not only by China’s activities, but also by the position of the United States. The division of the states of the region into groups loosely defined as pro-American and pro-Chinese is not excluded.