China’s interest in the Pacific islands is growing

During the second world war, some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacific took place as the Allies pushed Japanese forces back in a “leapfrogging” campaign across the islands that dot the ocean north-east of Australia. Now America and its allies are scrambling to defend their hold on the region against an island-hopping diplomatic offensive from China that they fear could lead to a military presence. But China is facing not just Allied resistance. Many Pacific-island countries want more done to address local needs—especially climate action—and are wary of being sucked into a global geopolitical contest.