The Pacific Way – Specifics of South Pacific Regionalism

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2025, №3(68), 38-54

 
Annotation: The article examines the specifics of regional identity and the model of regional cooperation in the South Pacific, known as the “Pacific Way”. The study is based on the hypothesis that contemporary ideas of regionalism promoted by the Pacific Small Island States (PSIS) have developed under the influence of unique internal and external factors, acquiring ideological features not inherent in other regional models. Internal factors include the historical development of the region and its vulnerabilities stemming from the geographical environment. The key external factor has been the legacy of colonialism and persistent geopolitical pressure. The author traces the evolution of regionalism from the colonial period, characterized by Eurocentric discourse, through the process of “managed decolonization”, to the establishment of the South Pacific Forum (now Pacific Islands Forum) in 1971. The concept of the “Pacific Way”, first articulated by Ratu Kamisese Mara, evolved from denoting a peaceful transition to independence into a comprehensive socio-philosophical value system formulated by Epeli Hau'ofa. This philosophy, based on mutual respect, consensus, communality, and collective diplomacy, has proven its practical significance. It has enabled small states to effectively defend their interests, as evidenced by the signing of the Treaty of Rarotonga and subsequent strategic documents of the Forum, such as the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. The analysis concludes that the “Pacific Way” serves as an effective ideological and practical foundation for regional consolidation in the face of ongoing geopolitical rivalry.

Keywords: South Pacific, regionalism, colonization, decolonization, Pacific Way, Pacific Island Forum