An expert is warning New Zealand's influence in the Pacific could be "overpowered" by the United States, following the White House's announcement of a new United States-Pacific partnership.
The US has announced plans to recognise the New Zealand realm countries of Niue and the Cook Islands as sovereign states, which could have implications for Aotearoa given the historic military and economic ties between the nations.
University of Canterbury Pacific Studies Professor Steven Ratuva says New Zealand will now be closely watching.
"A number of things in this particular document which implicates New Zealand in terms of, perhaps contradicting some of New Zealand's own responses to the Pacific and its foreign policy," Ratuva told Breakfast.
Recognising New Zealand realm countries as sovereign states, particularly the Cook Islands, is one element of the newly formed partnership which could pose a problem.
Ratuva said the Cook Islands had been trying to gain its own sovereign representation within the United Nations. However, New Zealand had blocked the Pacific nation from doing so, due to the Cook Islands belonging to the New Zealand realm, he said.
"Interesting to see New Zealand's position.
"Is the United States re-engagement going to overshadow, overpower New Zealand's influence in the Pacific?"
He said the US "has tried to fit in its interests" in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, which Aotearoa is involved in, which could have further implications for future NZ-Pacific relations.
"The United States is coming in with the promise of money and of course power."
The Biden administration released its new strategy, as well as plans for US$810 million (NZ$1.42 billion) in new aid for Pacific Island nations, as President Joe Biden prepared to meet with leaders attending the US-Pacific Island Country Summit.
It came amid growing tensions in the geopolitical tussle with China over the two countries' influence in the region.
Ratuva said the Pacific has been "caught in the middle" of competing economic, military and ideological interests.
Military power is tied to naval prowess, and whoever has the most influence in the Pacific will have an edge, he said.
Leaders from Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia and New Caledonia are attending the two-day summit.
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