But some island nations are worried the regional police initiatives might further escalate rivalries between US and China By Jayvee Vallejera The Pacific Ocean covers about 69 million square miles of open water, yet only Australia and New Zealand—two of the 18 member-countries of the Pacific Islands Forum that straddle this vast area—have armies or coast guards that keep watch over their sliver of ocean.The United States lends its forces and technical expertise to the Forum’s new associate... Read this story
