1、 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress INSIGHTINSIGHTi i Australia and New Zealand React to Chinas Growing Influence in the South Pacific nae redacted Specialist in Asian Affairs July 26, 2018 Overview The July 24, 2018, Australia-United States Ministerial (AUSMIN) Joint Statem
2、ent points to “deepening engagement between the United States and Australia in the Indo-Pacific.” Canberra and Wellington are increasingly responding to Chinese influence operations in the Pacific region, as demonstrated by a number of recent actions, including Australias passage of new foreign inte
3、rference legislation; announcement of an possible new Australia-Vanuatu security agreement; New Zealands adoption of a new Strategic Defence Policy Statement; steps toward a new Pacific Islands Forum security agreement; and increased aid from Australia and New Zealand to Pacific island states. In ad
4、dition, Australia is boosting its defense budget, both Australia and New Zealand are making new military procurements, and Australia, New Zealand, and the United States held an inaugural Pacific Security Cooperation Dialogue in June 2018 “to discuss a wide range of security issues and identify areas
