To counter China, US lawmakers back closer coordination with Pacific islands

A bipartisan group of US senators has proposed legislation to support establishment of national security councils in strategic Pacific island states that are known to be home to key US military installations and at risk of espionage and coercion by China. The provisions are contained in the sweeping National Defence Authorization Act, which was passed by the Senate last month but is still several steps from becoming law, and would allow for greater coordination between the US security establishment and Palau, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. The sparsely populated nations, whose territories cover vast areas of the Pacific, have relations…