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If you want to know how China and Australia are competing for influence in the Pacific Islands, here's a microcosm of the contest.
Constantly seeking opportunities to establish itself as the dominant power in the Pacific, Beijing decided to offer a fleet of 27 brand-new vehicles as a gift to Solomon Islands in time for its hosting this week of the annual summit of the region's paramount political gathering, the Pacific Islands Forum. The 18-member forum includes Australia and New Zealand. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be there.
The purported function of the vehicles? The 27 SUVs were to ferry the various leaders and ministers around during the summit. It might not sound like a big deal, but for a tiny nation with a per-capita income in the same range as that of Haiti and the Congo, the prime minister himself, Jeremiah Manele, turned out for the handover.
The Australian response? To announce that it would give the Solomons a fleet of 60 brand-new vehicles. "Australia continues to be the Pacific's largest development partner, and security partner of choice," Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong said in jointly announcing the gift, together with Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy.