Australia makes gains in Pacific islands as Covid-19 hinders China

SYDNEY (BLOOMBERG) – Australia is moving to boost ties with small island nations off its eastern coastline, pushing back against China’s growing influence in the Pacific Ocean as the coronavirus outbreak hinders travel. Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s government has promised to supply its neighbours with Covid-19 vaccines in 2021 as part of a A$500 million (S$509.52 million) package aimed at achieving “full immunisation coverage” in the region. It also recently signed a “landmark” deal with Fiji, one of the region’s most populous nations, to allow military deployments and exercises in each other’s jurisdiction. “China has largely been missing in action…