Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Australia is strengthening its role as the Pacific’s security partner of choice, signing new defense agreements with countries including Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu as strategic competition with China intensifies. At the same time, Beijing has tested a nuclear-capable ballistic missile into the South Pacific and Papua New Guinea has abruptly closed Taiwan’s representative office, raising fresh questions about China's growing influence across the region. Pacific Island nations, meanwhile, are seeking to balance Australian security ties with Chinese economic engagement while resisting pressure to choose sides. Is the South Pacific becoming the next major front in Indo-Pacific strategic competition? In this episode, we examine Australia's expanding regional role, China's growing presence and what the shifting balance of power means for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.
*Recorded on July 23, 2026 at 2pm Taiwan Standard Time
Host: Wen-Ti Sung
Producer: Chinyeh Chiang
Videographer: Celest Kao
Our guests:
Jung-Ming Chang
- Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) Assistant Research Fellow
Michael Shoebridge
- Strategic Analysis Australia Founder and Director
Chapters:
00:00:00 – Australia Expands Pacific Diplomacy
00:02:10 – Canberra Builds Regional Network
00:12:04 – Pacific Islands Criticize China Missile Test
00:18:20 – PNG Closes Taiwan Rep Office
#PacificIslands #AustraliaDiplomacy #IndoPacific #PacificSecurity #AustraliaDefense #RegionalSecurity #ChinaMissileTest #ICBMTest #OceanOfPeace #PapuaNewGuinea #PNGDiplomacy #TaiwanPNG #TaipeiEconomicOffice #ChinaPacificInfluence #BeijingInfluence #PacificDiplomacy #SolomonIslands #Tuvalu #Fiji #MarshallIslands #Geopolitics #IndoPacificSecurity #ForeignAffairs #DiplomaticTensions #CrossStraits #TaiwanForeignPolicy #ChinaForeignPolicy #USPacificStrategy #SecurityNetwork #DefenseCooperation #BilateralRelations #MultilateralDiplomacy #OneChinaPolicy #TaiwanDiplomacy #PacificIslandsForum #GlobalAffairs #RegionalStability #StrategicCompetition #PacificOcean #Deterrence #DefensePolicy #InternationalRelations #PublicDiplomacy #AsiaPacific #MaritimeSecurity #DiplomaticRelations #EastAsiaSecurity #TaiwanPlus #TaiwanTalks
Australia is strengthening its role as the Pacific’s security partner of choice, signing new defense agreements with countries including Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Vanuatu as strategic competition with China intensifies. At the same time, Beijing has tested a nuclear-capable ballistic missile into the South Pacific and Papua New Guinea has abruptly closed Taiwan’s representative office, raising fresh questions about China's growing influence across the region. Pacific Island nations, meanwhile, are seeking to balance Australian security ties with Chinese economic engagement while resisting pressure to choose sides. Is the South Pacific becoming the next major front in Indo-Pacific strategic competition? In this episode, we examine Australia's expanding regional role, China's growing presence and what the shifting balance of power means for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific.
*Recorded on July 23, 2026 at 2pm Taiwan Standard Time
Host: Wen-Ti Sung
Producer: Chinyeh Chiang
Videographer: Celest Kao
Our guests:
Jung-Ming Chang
- Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) Assistant Research Fellow
Michael Shoebridge
- Strategic Analysis Australia Founder and Director
Chapters:
00:00:00 – Australia Expands Pacific Diplomacy
00:02:10 – Canberra Builds Regional Network
00:12:04 – Pacific Islands Criticize China Missile Test
00:18:20 – PNG Closes Taiwan Rep Office
#PacificIslands #AustraliaDiplomacy #IndoPacific #PacificSecurity #AustraliaDefense #RegionalSecurity #ChinaMissileTest #ICBMTest #OceanOfPeace #PapuaNewGuinea #PNGDiplomacy #TaiwanPNG #TaipeiEconomicOffice #ChinaPacificInfluence #BeijingInfluence #PacificDiplomacy #SolomonIslands #Tuvalu #Fiji #MarshallIslands #Geopolitics #IndoPacificSecurity #ForeignAffairs #DiplomaticTensions #CrossStraits #TaiwanForeignPolicy #ChinaForeignPolicy #USPacificStrategy #SecurityNetwork #DefenseCooperation #BilateralRelations #MultilateralDiplomacy #OneChinaPolicy #TaiwanDiplomacy #PacificIslandsForum #GlobalAffairs #RegionalStability #StrategicCompetition #PacificOcean #Deterrence #DefensePolicy #InternationalRelations #PublicDiplomacy #AsiaPacific #MaritimeSecurity #DiplomaticRelations #EastAsiaSecurity #TaiwanPlus #TaiwanTalks
