Coastwatchers 2.0 / Commentary

China’s latest missile test sends a clear message: Beijing intends to make its military presence in the Pacific the new normal.

With the warning of a yet-to-materialize missile test in the Southern Ocean, is Russia playing an old joke on New Zealand?

In confronting China’s covert influence campaign, we are betting that transparency is our strongest weapon.

Pacific island states face growing geopolitical rivalry. A collective security framework could give them a stronger voice and greater control over their region’s future.

The newly designed Declaration of Defence and Security between New Zealand and the Cook Islands marks a reset, but not yet a solution.

China’s influence operations in Samoa have been patient, persistent, and, as the election proved, profoundly effective.

In the Pacific, infrastructure is influence – but China appears to be alone in recognizing that.

New Zealand’s recent decision to pause nearly $30 million in direct budget support to the Cook Islands is not a punishment. It is a necessary act of accountability.

Former Prime Ministers Helen Clark and John Key attending China’s World War II victory parade risks validating a world view at odds with NZ’s.

Washington’s efforts to rebuild ties with Pacific Island nations risk unraveling as the Trump administration cuts aid, weakens regional engagement and creates new opportunities for China to expand its influence.