The race for "game-changing" influence in the Pacific is on. -- China Boss update 6.03.22
Update
What happened.
While China Boss was chomping on croissants in Paris, an incredible race to consolidate geopolitical influence in the Pacific was underway. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi embarked on a tour of ten small Pacific nations in efforts to persuade them “to endorse a sweeping agreement covering everything from security to fisheries in what one leader warns is a ‘game-changing’ bid by Beijing to wrest control of the region,” the Associated Press reported.
AP (May 26):
A draft of the agreement obtained by The Associated Press shows that China wants to train Pacific police officers, team up on “traditional and non-traditional security” and expand law enforcement cooperation.
China also wants to jointly develop a marine plan for fisheries — which would include the Pacific’s lucrative tuna catch — increase cooperation on running the region’s internet networks, and set up cultural Confucius Institutes and classrooms. China also mentions the possibility of setting up a free trade area with the Pacific nations.
Ultimately, it appears that Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and counterparts “failed to reach consensus at talks,” as Aljazeera noted. But even if not achieving unanimity among ten Pacific micro-states in one fell swoop was disappointing, Wang won’t be headed back to Beijing completely empty-handed.
Wang fell short of signing a pan-Pacific accord earlier in the week but has reached agreements with individual countries, including this week in Tonga for disaster management, among other projects.
Samoa also signed a bilateral agreement “promising ‘greater collaboration’” with China, although few details have been released to the public, The Guardian said. Lest you forget, China and Solomon Islands signed their own secretive security pact back in April.
Why it matters.
Wang Yi’s tour of Pacific island nations has sparked not-a-small-amount of push-back and last minute diplomatic hustle by U.S. and Australian officials who fear China’s proposals are really just a way to increase its military presence in the region.
VOA:
Beijing had already built up its navy over the past few years to sail past the north-south chain of islands between Japan and Indonesia. The tropical South Pacific lies just beyond that chain.
What the experts say.
Satu Limaye, vice president of the East-West Center research organization in Honolulu, told VOA news that “China is ready for ‘great power competition’ with Western countries that have historic but sometimes fragile political influence in the South Pacific.”
Limaye, VOA:
For relatively modest attention, resources (and) effort, something could fall into their lap, like the Solomons, for example. Forget talking about ‘competition’s coming.’ Competition’s here. It’s there.
Go deeper.
US, Australia fear growing Chinese military control in Pacific (Aljazeera, YouTube)
Watch to learn how China is working its way into a stronger “security” presence in the Pacific. (8min)
Why China Is Miles Ahead in a Pacific Race for Influence (Damien Cave, New York Times)
Read to see why Damien Cave says Washington is “still far behind” China and is “mistaking speeches for impact and interest for influence.”
New Zealand forges closer security ties with US after China’s Pacific push (Nic Fildes, Financial Times)
Read for an update on how New Zealand, once “accused of cosying up to China” is taking a “firmer stance” against “China’s Pacific push.”
****
Have a great weekend.