Oceans Apart: Considering the Indo-Pacific and the Blue Pacific

As maritime democracies in the Indian and Pacific Oceans look to balance a rising China, Pacific Island states increasingly find themselves understood as a subset of a broader ‘Indo-Pacific’ region. However, Pacific Island states have unique security concerns, particularly in relation to climate change, and are working together to tackle them as one ocean continent: the ‘Blue Pacific’. This article considers both Australia’s recent step up in the Pacific, and the collective action strategies of Pacific Island states themselves. The article concludes that a more determined response to the security concerns of island states is crucial for any alignment between the Indo-Pacific and the Blue Pacific.