The Geopolitics of Oceania - The Pacific Islands ...

• Main Author: Saalbach, Klaus
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Universität Osnabrück 2024
• Subjects: Oceania; Pacific Islands; Geopolitics; Small states; 320 - Politik; New Zealand; Pacific; Tonga; Iceland
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.48693/447; https://osnadocs.ub.uni-osnabrueck.de/handle/ds-2024011710225

The paper analyses the geopolitics of Oceania with the Pacific Island States and the geopolitical role of small states in general. Oceania with its three regions Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia is an area of growing geopolitical competition between the Western States Australia, New Zealand, France, United Kingdom, United States and Japan on one side and China on the other side. The key institution is the Pacific Iceland Forum PIF with Australia, New Zealand, the French territories French Polynesia and New Caledonia, the 14 oceanic states Fiji, Kiribati, Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Niue, Solomon Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, Vanuatu, Nauru, Tonga, Palau, and Tuvalu. American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Marianas have observer status. The main pillars of Western influence in Oceania are: 1. Defense and security, 2. Binding of local currencies to Western currencies, 3. Developmental aid and 4. Association to Western States or a status as dependent territories. Many ...