China’s foreign minister is jetting off on a blitz of Pacific Island nations
China is seeking security deals with almost a dozen Pacific Island countries according to fresh reports from Reuters.
The deals will focus on policing, security and data communication.
Reuters reports the nation’s foreign minister, Wang Yi is set to host a meeting in Fiji next week.
One of the nations on China’s list has reportedly voiced concerns saying their intent to control the region “threatens stability”.
David Panuelo, the President from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) fears this could lead to a new “Cold War” between China and the West.
Yi will visit eight Pacific island nations that China has diplomatic ties with.
It comes as the nation secured a deal with the Solomon Islands, which drew condemnation from Australia, New Zealand and the US.
Allan Behm from the Australian Institute says “to spend over a week with small island states in the Pacific is a very big investment of China’s diplomatic capital.”
“It’s a dramatic move for China to take.”
Behm says these visits also make people nervous about the future.
“It looks a bit to me like video game diplomacy, a kind of gotcha moment where the size of the visit, that is the length of it, and the surprise of the visit, come together to make people feel a bit nervous about what it’s all for.”
AlLan behm
Meanwhile, Australia’s Foreign Minister will travel to Fiji today to counter China’s influence in the region.
The country’s newly elected Prime Minister says Australia is an obvious partner for these island nations.
But China says the Solomon’s pact focuses on domestic policing and that any criticism was interference in their decision-making.
In Washington, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said he was aware of the plans.
Foreign ministers will meet next week to discuss the plans.
