Australia's Pacific Drug Crisis Opens Door for China as US Relations Strain

More than 17 tonnes of illicit drugs — predominantly cocaine — have been seized by Australian and international law enforcement across the Pacific this year, according to Australian Federal Police figures. Security experts warn this surge in transnational trafficking has created a vacuum that China may exploit to expand its regional policing footprint, adding fresh urgency to the Albanese government's push to become the Pacific's primary security partner.

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