Massive backflip on China’s Pacific Islands deal

China’s Ambassador has confirmed China will shelve its proposal for a Pacific regional agreement after weeks of tension.

China’s Ambassador has confirmed China will shelve its proposal for a Pacific regional agreement after weeks of tension from the West over the superpower’s regional diplomatic blitz.

Ten Pacific island nations have rebuffed China’s push for a wide-ranging regional security pact Monday, amid worries the proposal was designed to pull them into Beijing’s orbit.

Talks in Fiji between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and leaders from the small island nations failed to reach an agreement, in a high-profile diplomatic setback for Beijing.

China is offering to radically ramp up its activities in the South Pacific, directly challenging the influence of the United States and its allies in the strategically vital region.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi gestures as he leaves after a joint press conference with Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama. Picture: AFP

The proposed pact would see Beijing train Pacific island police, become involved in cybersecurity, expand political ties, conduct sensitive marine mapping and gain greater access to natural resources on land and in the water.

As an enticement, Beijing is offering millions of dollars in financial assistance, the prospect of a potentially lucrative China-Pacific islands free trade agreement and access to China’s vast market of 1.4 billion people.

Behind the scenes, Pacific leaders have voiced deep misgivings about the offer. In a recent letter to fellow leaders, David Panuelo, the President of the Federated States of Micronesia, warned the offer was “disingenuous” and would “ensure Chinese influence in government” and “economic control” of key industries.

Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama speaks during a joint press conference with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Fiji's capital city Suva. Picture: AFP

A more soft-spoken public rebuke came after the talks, when leaders said they could not agree to Beijing’s proposed “Common Development Vision” due to a lack of regional consensus.

“As always, we put consensus first,” co-host and Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said after the meeting, indicating that broad accord would be needed before inking any “new regional agreements”.

Papua New Guinea, Samoa and the Federated States of Micronesia were said to be among those concerned about the proposals, along with Taiwan-recognising Palau, which was not invited.

“We would rather deal with our own security issues with China”, Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Soroi Eoe told AFP, indicating concern about any region-wide pact.

Before the meeting, President Xi Jinping sent a message that China would be “a good brother” to the region and that they shared a “common destiny”, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Earler, Samoa signed a bilateral agreement with China on Saturday, promising “greater collaboration” as Beijing’s foreign minister continued a tour of the South Pacific.

A press release from the Samoan government confirmed that Wang Yi and Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa had met and discussed “climate change, the pandemic and peace and security”.

Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have signed a new deal. Picture: AFP

Local media were invited to witness the signing of a deal, but no questions were taken.

The deal also contained an agreement to help build a police fingerprinting lab in addition to an already announced police academy in the country, which follows earlier commitments of “capacity building” for law enforcement in the Solomon Islands.

The release said that China would continue to provide infrastructural development support to various Samoan sectors and there would be a new framework for future projects “to be determined and mutually agreed”.

“Samoa and the People’s Republic of China will continue to pursue greater collaboration that will deliver on joint interests and commitments,” the release said.

China and Australia are in a “duel for influence” in the South Pacific. Picture: AFP

In a duel for influence, Australia’s new Foreign Minister Penny Wong was in Fiji on Friday, seeking to woo island states after the Solomon Islands took Canberra by surprise last month by signing a wide-ranging security pact with China.

“We have expressed our concerns publicly about the security agreement,” Wong told reporters in the capital of Suva.

“As do other Pacific islands, we think there are consequences. We think that it’s important that the security of the region be determined by the region. And historically, that has been the case. And we think that is a good thing.” At the first stop in Honiara on Thursday, Wang lashed out at “smears and attacks” against the security pact already signed with the Solomon Islands.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong raced to Fiji to drum up support. Picture: Getty Images

While the wide-ranging draft agreement and a five-year plan circulated to several pacific nations, both obtained by AFP, would give China a larger security footprint in a region seen as crucial to the interests of the United States and its allies.

In a stark letter to fellow Pacific leaders, Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo warned the agreement seems “attractive” at first glance but would allow China to “acquire access and control of our region”.

Originally published as Massive backflip on China’s Pacific Islands deal