China's recent attempt to bolster its influence on Pacific island countries is likely to further complicate relations with its neighbor Japan, a close U.S. ally in Asia, probably jeopardizing the security situation in the region.
If China gains a military foothold in the island nations, the United States would need to keep a closer watch on the south of the Pacific Ocean, which could undermine deterrence against Beijing in the South China Sea and waters near Taiwan and Japan.
Escalating tensions between the world's two major powers in the Pacific region would also accelerate the division of the world into two blocs — Western democratic countries led by the U.S. and what they call autocratic nations like China and Russia.