The Chinese foreign minister will tour eight Pacific island nations in just over a week. Almost the same route is followed by the US-backed Australian Secretary of State.
1.6. 17:19 • Updated 1.6. 17:34
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is currently traveling at a tremendous pace from one Pacific island nation to another, accompanied by a delegation of twenty officials and a portfolio of wholesale economic and security cooperation deals.
To date, Foreign Minister Wang has visited the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. There are still quick visits to Papua New Guinea and East Timor.
President Joe Biden the recent Asian Tour and statements about Taiwan’s military defense have made it clear to China that the United States is concentrating its efforts to maintain the free movement of its own and even small allies in military areas of military importance in the Pacific.
For years, China has been trying to stretch its sea areas by building various bases and airports on the coral islands in the South China Sea.
China’s bid for security cooperation is suspected
On and off the Pacific voyage, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has reassured the leadership of the island nations and assured that China is not on the move to expand its military power.
– Some countries in the region have asked questions about the draft and China’s motives. They will be discussed as long as there is consensus, said China’s ambassador to Fiji Qian Bo according to the news agency Reuters.
Foreign Minister Wang, for his part, said briefly that China is also cooperating successfully with developing countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.
According to China, this is normal cooperation between states.
The formula is familiar from the way China operates in the rest of the world. Once co-operation on issues that facilitate everyday life and business has begun, the next move has usually been to move forward on security issues.
Australia’s new foreign minister is going around the same route
Australia’s new foreign minister has only been in office for ten days Penny Wong follows in the wake of China.
Wong also visited the islands of Fiji and left for Tonga on Wednesday and, for the second time, Samoa, from whom the Chinese official brother has already had time to leave.
Wong takes a message to the small allies of Australia and the United States about how important it would be for them to stay alongside Australia and the West.
Unlike the Chinese, the Australians have said all their appointments in advance.
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