20181211 Asia Insight Bougainville By Daniel Garcia

© Illustration by Daniel Garcia

A small island gets caught in China's Pacific power game with West

Bougainville's huge copper reserves and independence vote draw global interest

SYDNEY -- A small island has found itself caught in the escalating battle for influence in the South Pacific.

On both economic and diplomatic fronts, Papua New Guinea's autonomous region of Bougainville has become a key piece in the game between Beijing, on one side, and the U.S. and its allies on the other.

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