‘Salami slicing’: How China is trying to increase control in the Pacific

China is reportedly employing a "salami slicing" strategy to gradually extend its influence and control across the Pacific region. This approach involves a series of small, incremental actions that individually may not provoke a major international response, but collectively contribute to a significant expansion of Beijing's strategic footprint. These tactics are designed to incrementally reshape regional dynamics without triggering overt conflict.

This strategy manifests through various means, including increased diplomatic engagement, extensive economic investment in infrastructure projects like ports and airports, and enhanced security cooperation with Pacific Island nations. Many of these infrastructure initiatives, often undertaken by Chinese state-owned enterprises, are viewed as having potential dual-use capabilities, allowing for both civilian and military applications.

The ongoing implementation of this strategy has generated concerns among Pacific nations and Western allies, who interpret it as an attempt by China to normalize its presence, assert its claims, and gradually shift the geopolitical balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.