China and Australia’s race around the Pacific

This week China tried to sign up 10 pacific nations to a new regional security pact.

Pacific leaders walked away from the deal – but just for now, and Chinese diplomats are hopeful they’ll get the deal done eventually.

If it happens, it would be another huge shift away from Australia by Pacific leaders.

So what is China offering? How did Australia lose the trust of our neighbours? And if China’s influence grows in the South Pacific what does it mean for us?

Today, world editor for The Saturday Paper, Jonathan Pearlman, on the race to make deals in the South Pacific.

Guest: World editor for The Saturday Paper, Jonathan Pearlman.

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