"US Warns of Chinese Influence as Kiribati Receives Police Support"
The United States has cautioned Pacific Islands nations against accepting assistance from Chinese security forces after reports emerged that Chinese police are working in Kiribati, a remote atoll nation near Hawaii. Kiribati's acting police commissioner confirmed the presence of uniformed Chinese officers, raising concerns amid the intensifying rivalry between Beijing and Washington in the Pacific. The U.S. State Department expressed worries about the implications of security agreements and cyber cooperation with China for Pacific Island nations' autonomy, highlighting the strategic importance of Kiribati's proximity to Hawaii and its vast exclusive economic zone. China's efforts to expand security ties in the region have faced resistance, with the Pacific Islands Forum rejecting a region-wide security and trade deal, and Papua New Guinea declining a Chinese offer of police assistance and surveillance technology.
