[20220425]IF11208_太平洋群岛.pdf

https:/crsreports.congress.gov Updated April 25, 2022The Pacific IslandsOverview In recent years, the Pacific Islands region in the Southwest Pacific has re-emerged as an area of keen interest to major powers, largely due to the Peoples Republic of Chinas (PRCs or Chinas) expanding engagement in the region. The region has strategic significance for the United States and hosts key U.S. military installations. Major issues affecting the Pacific Islands include international tensions, economic development, illegal fishing, climate change, and issues related to self-determination and decolonization. The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) is the regions main political and economic policy organization with 18 members: 14 Pacific Island countries (PICs), two French “overseas collectivities,” Australia, and New Zealand. Some PICs, such as Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Fiji, are relatively large with extensive natural resources; others are quite small, sitting on top of low-lying coral atolls, with limited economic prospects and high vulnerability to the effects of climate change and sea level rise. Over half of the worlds tuna is harvested in the region. Many PICs rely on fisheries, tourism, and re