On Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi hoped to get ten of the Pacific nations to sign a security pact with China, how did it go?
Not as Beijing had hoped. It is true that the countries agreed to cooperate on, among other things, the economy, trade, agriculture, tourism and disaster management. But in terms of security cooperation, several of the countries struggled and demanded further discussions.
China’s hope was to reach an agreement similar to that with the Solomon Islands. It includes everything from police training and cyber security to giving China the right to send troops to the country.
2. Why is China so interested in strengthening ties with the Pacific island nations?
Wang Yi said at a news conference on Monday, which did not allow any questions, that China wants to support developing countries around the world, in Africa, in Asia and in the Pacific.
But few doubt that China has other intentions. The Pacific nations are located in important waterways between East and West and have long cooperated with, above all, Australia and the United States. For China, they are of great interest for security policy reasons.
The Chinese courtship worries the West, but also, for example, the President of Micronesia, David Panuelo. He has warned that increased cooperation with China increases the risk of a new cold war and reduces security in the region.
3. Australia and the United States are also courting the countries of the Pacific. Which political area is most important for the countries themselves?
Climate and economy. The Pacific nations are poor and they are significantly affected by climate change. Rising sea levels mean that some islands risk being washed away completely.
“Geopolitical points mean less than least for communities that are on the wane, whose jobs are lost in the pandemic or whose families are affected by rapidly rising prices,” Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said on Monday.
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