Australians need an education and information campaign on the Pacific

The United States is slowly awakening to the reality that China wants to totally marginalise it in our immediate region. About time!

The Trump administration failed our region miserably. It neglected the growth of China's influence.

The Biden administration shows significantly more promise. Its engagement is through Kurt Campbell a powerful Washington insider. It is talking the talk, it now needs to deliver urgent results...with the emphasis on urgent.

Clearly the US will have a lead role in deciding how the billions are spent. We need to position ourselves to play an influential role.

I have one suggestion on how to make a big impact in our region - an impact on China's insidious debt burden strategy. If that is not addressed everything else will be ineffective. China's stranglehold will be maintained.

Just about all our island neighbours are heavily in debt to China - just how much in debt is unknown as the loan agreements with governments and state-owned corporations are clouded in secrecy.

We need to lift the veil of secrecy! The best way to do that is to work on a country-by-country basis and negotiate with leaders on replacing China's debt with transparent and affordable debt arrangements.

Inevitably it will need to include some debt forgiveness. Loans ride to Chinese contractors undertaking all construction work should be replaced if countries agree.

Other areas of priority need to be public communications infrastructure. China's stranglehold over telecommunications is a huge and growing worry. We need to encourage nations to replace it.

Decisions on replacing China's debt trap diplomacy will be complex and sensitive - but they cannot be avoided.

Several, perhaps more, of our regional neighbours are already unable to meet debt repayments to China - much of it for unproductive projects that are essentially China flag waving exercises and favours for local politicians.

The.program also needs to subsidise agricultural and fishing sectors which China is slowly but surely getting a stranglehold over. In the case of PNG upwards of 80% of marine produce goes directly to China on China's terms,