Wallis, J.Koro, M.O'Dwyer, C.Wallis, J.McNeill, H.Rose, M.Tidwell, A.2025-03-242025-03-242025Power and Influence in the Pacific Islands Understanding Statecraftiness, 2025 / Wallis, J., McNeill, H., Rose, M., Tidwell, A. (ed./s), Ch.6, pp.84-10410328033129781032803319https://hdl.handle.net/2440/143977This chapter turns to the final specific tool of statecraft analysed in this book: strategic narratives. The developing literature on strategic narratives as tools of statecraft has analysed their attempted use by great powers, particularly China, to influence less materially powerful states. This chapter switches focus to analyse how Pacific Island countries (PICs), which are less materially powerful, have created and deployed their own strategic narratives. It does this by analysing the Blue Pacific narrative adopted and deployed by PICs to seek to influence their more materially powerful partners. It analyses the discourse and policies of partner states and international institutions and argues that they have, at times, been influenced by this narrative to both change their own narratives, and, more significantly, their substantive policies. While it acknowledges that partner states have appropriated the Blue Pacific narrative in their own attempts to influence PICs, it concludes by arguing that the Blue Pacific narrative demonstrates how less materially powerful states can leverage geopolitical competition so that their strategic narratives can influence more materially powerful partners to advance their interests and priorities.en© 2025 selection and editorial matter, Joanne Wallis, Henrietta McNeill, Michael Rose and Alan Tidwell; individual chapters, the contributors The right of Joanne Wallis, Henrietta McNeill, Michael Rose and Alan Tidwell to be identified as the authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license. Any third party material in this book is not included in the OA Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. Please direct any permissions enquiries to the original rightsholder.Political ScienceBook chapter10.4324/9781003496441-6718731Wallis, J. [0000-0002-8767-917X]Koro, M. [0000-0001-7571-6845]