The head of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) says the national broadcaster is looking to ramp up its presence in the Asia-Pacific seven years after it closed a dedicated service to the region. The move comes as competition for influence in the immediate South Pacific region heats up between Beijing and democratic allies. David Anderson, managing director of the ABC, said the broadcaster was looking into potential expansion into the region. “We have an ongoing dialogue with the minister for the pacific with regard to what else we could be doing should they wish to fund us because I think there is the intergenerational trust between those nations and Australia,” he told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. “We’re always interested in expanding our presence should the government wish to do so. I think it would be an important initiative,” he added. The ABC did not provide further details but …