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A ‘Pacific Eyes’ intelligence body would offset China’s growing presence in region: report
Think tank proposes dedicated alliance – initially with Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji – to avoid being ‘blindsided’
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Australia should lead the creation of a formal Five Eyes-style intelligence club in the Pacific amid China’s growing presence in the region, a prominent foreign policy think tank has suggested.
Dubbed “Pacific Eyes”, the proposed intelligence-sharing alliance could help to plug institutional gaps that “external powers” – particularly Beijing – were eager to exploit, the Sydney-based Lowy Institute said in a report released on Tuesday.
It recommended that the dedicated framework initially consist of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.
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“The Pacific Islands have become an arena for intensifying geopolitical competition, with Beijing making unprecedented security inroads in recent years,” the study said.
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It cited China’s 2022 security pact with the Solomon Islands, the partnership action plan with the Cook Islands signed in February, and the “increased” frequency of Chinese naval and coastguard deployments in Pacific Island waters.
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