Pacific leaders should be wary

It did not take China long to show it was undeterred by the rebuff its top diplomat, Wang Yi, suffered at Monday’s summit in Suva. Pacific Islands foreign ministers from Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Micronesia and, remarkably, Solomon Islands rejected Beijing’s plans for a sweeping security and trade pact aimed at implanting Chinese influence across the region. Instead, they called on China, the world’s biggest polluter, to do more to address climate change, which they regard as their greatest threat.

While the outcome was a setback for China’s South Pacific ambitions, Beijing’s state media and Foreign Ministry claimed otherwise. The Global Times reported strong support among attendees for Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative and for “deepening their comprehensive strategic partnership” with China. The Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece said China released a 15-point position paper that included “jointly promoting regional peace and security”. Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the joint agreement covering security and co-operation remained a work in progress. On Tuesday, Mr Wang continued his foray in Tonga before going to PNG, where prominent leaders have warned Prime Minister James Marape against signing new deals with China when parliament is dissolved pending an election. Mr Marape should take heed.

Mr Wang’s failure in Fiji is encouraging. It offers an opportunity to persuade Pacific Islands leaders of the wisdom of one of their number, Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo, when he warned the security and trade pact Beijing had been offering as the linchpin of its relationship with the island states was disingenuous and would “ensure Chinese influence in government” and “economic control” of key industries. It is to be hoped Solomons Islands leaders were paying attention. Likewise Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, who has put his country “at the forefront of Beijing’s largesse”. The region will pay a heavy price if its leaders ignore Mr Panuelo and follow the example of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in signing up for Beijing’s dubious debt.