Helping PNG is a no-brainer for Australia, and that was the case long before China even had a major presence within the country, but it's even greater with that element layered on top of all the other complex dynamics of the relationship.

Jonathan Pryke

It wouldn't take much cash to get Tuvalu to consider its position, taiwan will be very nervous about this outcome.

It isn't helping Australia's efforts in the Pacific. This is the nature of consensus and compromise. That message gets hard when compromise essentially means the loss of livelihoods for some members.

Federated States of Micronesia form part of the second island chain that China sees as a way of containing their strategic ambitions, the relationship is a critical one, but China is increasing its pursuit of the region.

(He is) widely respected and a noted critic of dodgy deals. by Jonathan Pryke

(He is) widely respected and a noted critic of dodgy deals.

From a development point of view, it's great, it would greatly increase the accessibility of internet in PNG.

Most of the drivers of the tension have been in the country for many decades and generations, and a lot of it is born out of the abject poverty of the country, the limited economic development opportunities and the inter-ethnic and inter-island rivalry between the two most populous islands, so everyone's pointing fingers, but some fingers also need to be pointed at the political leaders of the Solomon Islands.

I guarantee you the vast majority of the people involved in the rioting and looting couldn't point China or Taiwan out on a map, they were there as opportunists because they have had very limited economic opportunity. It's a very poor country with high youth unemployment, and this just shows how quickly these things can spiral out of control in a country that's volatile.

If they're faced with these kinds of challenges with the vaccine supply that they've already got access to, why bother even trying to incorporate one new vaccine into the mix ?

It is good enough -- millions of Australians are receiving it.

So they've got to show that they're actually doing something.

The Australian government has clearly acknowledged that there can't be any room for vacuum creation,( be it) the hard power, soft power, the aid front, or the medical front, they can't step back from any vacuum for fear that China might fill it.

China's engagement in the Pacific IslandsBoth today has been one driven by opportunism, they're trying to gain as much influence as they can.

Coordination is critical. When you're both trying to help, even if you're not going to work together, at least don't get in each other's way, the good news is the supplies from Australia did get there, just a tad later.

This is going to be devastating for Pacific economies. Whether it's aid, trade, migration or tourism, all those countries depend on major countries like Australia and China for their supply chains, they are using their relative isolation as a remote island as a strength to put the wall up. It makes sense given the fragility of their health systems.