Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is visiting the Marshall Islands today and tomorrow amid concern about China's growing influence in the Pacific region.
She is also visiting Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia with three other MPs.
Majuro, Marshall Islands. Photo: Giff Johnson
The Minister says the trip is about persuading more women to stand for office rather than trying to counter China's political and economic influence.
But our correspondent in the Marshall Islands, Giff Johnson, says there's speculation that China will be on the agenda of talks as well as climate change.
"The visit to the Marshall Islands might also be partly motivated out of concern that the Marshall Islands has been quite critical of Australia's climate policies and so I am sure these are things on Bishop's agenda," said Giff Johnson.
Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop Photo: AFP
The Australian visit also comes after the US Congress asked its Defense Department to study how Chinese aid could affect security and relations with North Pacific nations in free association with the US.
