BLUF
The test has exposed divisions over regional security, with Pacific nations unable to jointly condemn it despite concerns about militarisation. It highlights tensions between maintaining peace and balancing security partnerships amid U.S.-China rivalry.Learning Outcomes
- Analyse the impact of major-power competition in the Pacific region, including how China's missile test and U.S.-aligned security activities influence regional peace and security.
- Evaluate the challenges Pacific Island nations face in balancing sovereignty, security partnerships, and the Ocean of Peace vision amid increasing militarisation and competing international interests.
- Assess the reasons for differing national responses to regional security issues, including why Pacific countries struggled to reach consensus on a collective response to China's missile test.
