A strategic China expert says foreign affairs and security in the South Pacific are looming after Anthony Albanese’s election win.

MedCare Asia Pacific director and John Hopkins University scholar Andrew Phelan said it was obvious Australia needs to reset the strained relationship, after our new PM stated his government will not bend to Chinese demands.

“China aims to be the sole dominant superpower in the world, and to get there… the intermediate goal is to become the regional power in the Indo-Pacific,” he told Liam Bartlett on 6PR Mornings.

“In order to do that, they need to displace the United States military presence in the Pacific.”

Phelan said China, which has the largest navy by ship number, was aiming to get on side with a majority of the 16 nations in the South Pacific.

“Some of these nations are low-hanging fruit, they’re fairly ripe for the picking, and one thing the Chinese do that we don’t do, is bribe,” he said.

Hear more below about the Chinese strategy in the South Pacific on Mornings