China, Pacific islands unable to reach consensus on security pact

A draft communique and five-year action plan sent by China to the invited nations ahead of the meeting showed China was seeking a sweeping regional trade and security agreement

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi on May 30 urged the Pacific region not to be "too anxious" about his country's aims after a meeting in Fiji with his counterparts from 10 island nations was unable to agree to a sweeping trade and security communique.

Wang hosted the meeting with Foreign Ministers from Pacific island nations with diplomatic ties with China midway through a diplomatic tour of the region where Beijing's ambitions for wider security ties has caused concern among U. S. allies.

A draft communique and five-year action plan sent by China to the invited nations ahead of the meeting showed China was seeking a sweeping regional trade and security agreement. But the draft communique, first reported by Reuters, prompted opposition from at least one of the invited nations, Federated States of Micronesia, according to a letter leaked last week.

After the meeting, which included Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Niue and Vanuatu, Wang said the nations had agreed on five areas of cooperation, but further discussions were needed to shape more consensus. The five areas he listed included economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic and new centres for agriculture and disaster, but did not include security.

"China will release its own position paper on our own positions and propositions and cooperation proposals with Pacific island countries and going forward we will continue to have ongoing and in-depth discussions and consultations to shape more consensus on cooperation," he told reporters in Fiji. Questions at the media briefing were not allowed.

Wang said some had questioned China's motives in being so active in the Pacific islands and his response was China supported developing countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean also. "Don't be too anxious and don't be too nervous, because the common development and prosperity of China and all the other developing countries would only mean great harmony, greater justice and greater progress of the whole world," he said.

Taking questions after Wang's briefing, China's Ambassador to Fiji, Qian Bo, said participants had agreed to discuss the draft communique and the five-year plan "until we have reached an agreement." "There has been general support from the 10 countries with which we have diplomatic relations, but of course there are some concerns on some specific issues."