New Foreign Minister Penny Wong made a public presentation to maintain Australia’s influence in the Pacific, highlighting Canberra’s renewed focus on climate change and continued economic support in the region.
Key points:
- Senator Wong was expected to meet with Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama on Friday
- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is touring eight countries in the Pacific
- It is seeking a comprehensive regional agreement on security and trade
During a press conference for local media on the second day of a visit to Fiji, Senator Wong said the new Australian government had a clear message: “We are listening and we have heard you.”
Climate was one of the areas where the government was determined to make a difference, and that was something Fiji and other Pacific Island nations had wanted for years, he said.
“At the heart of this is a strong desire to play our part in the Pacific family and build stronger relationships,” he said.
Senator Wong, who was expected to meet with Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama later on Friday, also highlighted the new Labor government’s policy on Pacific labor plans.
In a speech after arriving in Fiji on Thursday, Senator Wong had said that previous Australian governments had disappointed the Pacific family on climate change.
Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to search, up and down arrows for volume. Wang Yi and Manasseh Sogavare promised during their meeting that China and the Solomon Islands would develop “rigid ties.”
Senator Wong’s arrival in Fiji on Thursday coincided with the first leg of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s eight-country tour of the Pacific, during which he is seeking a comprehensive regional agreement on security and trade.
When asked if the Australian government was concerned about China’s influence in the Pacific, Senator Wong said it was up to the Pacific nations to make their own decisions about who they want to partner with.
“I respect that,” he said.
“We want to be a preferred partner and show your nation and other nations in the region that we are a trusted partner. [is] reliable, and historically we have been. ”
Senator Wong received a traditional welcome ceremony in Fiji. (Provided by the Government of Fiji)
Mr. Wang’s first stop was the Solomon Islands, the same nation with which China signed a security pact last month to the extent that it caused shock waves around the world.
This pact has raised fears that China may send troops to the island nation or even establish a military base there, not far from Australia.
The Solomon Islands and China say there are no plans for a base.
In another move from China, a draft document shows that Wang hopes to reach an agreement with 10 Pacific nations during his tour.
The broad agreement covers everything from security to fishing, and at least one Pacific leader sees it as an attempt by Beijing to gain control of the region.
The Solomon Islands unfurled the red carpet for Mr. Wang, who met with high-ranking officials such as Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele, Governor-General Sir David Vunagi and Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.
Access to international media during the visit of Mr. Wang shrank.
Chinese media reported that during the meeting, Mr. Sogavare and Mr. Wang expressed readiness to forge “strong” ties and deepen cooperation between the two countries.
Sogavare reportedly thanked China for its support and assistance in the development of the Solomon Islands and reaffirmed its support for the “one China principle”.
Wang said China appreciated the “determination of the Solomon Islands to safeguard its own national interests, the strong desire to develop friendly cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands and the adherence to the principle of a single China.”
In a statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China has never “interfered in the internal affairs of island countries”, sought a “sphere of influence” in the region or left any island country sunk in debts or security threats “.
He said China and Australia had “unique strengths and advantages” and called for cooperation between the two Pacific countries.
“There is enough space in the vast Pacific Ocean for China, Australia and all the island countries to share peace, development and prosperity,” he said.
During his 10-day visit, Wang also plans to make stops in Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Lest.
Next stop, Kiribati
Kiribati has closed its borders in an attempt to end an outbreak of COVID-19. However, his government made a rare exception to allow Mr. Wang and his 20-person delegation to enter the country on Friday for a four-hour visit.
An expert predicted that the future of the protected area of the Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, a stretch of ocean the size of California and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, would be discussed shortly by Mr. Wang. in the country.
In November, the President of Kiribati, Taneti Maamau, announced that the government planned to end the ban on commercial fishing that had existed since 2015 and to start fishing sustainably in the area.
Anna Powles, a senior professor of security studies at Massey University in New Zealand, said she hoped there would be some fisheries agreements between China and Kiribati that would come from Mr. Wang.
Dr Powles said China, which already dominated fishing in the region, had offered to improve a runway and an airport road in the Phoenix Island group.
“The concern is that this would essentially obliterate fish stocks, which would severely damage fish stocks that are already under pressure,” he said.
He said there was also concern that any kind of base for Chinese commercial fishing fleets in Kiribati could also be used as an additional hub for Beijing surveillance activities.
The President of Kiribati said that Mr. Wang would visit his residence for bilateral talks during the visit and emphasized the current health protocols.
Scholars are calling for the relationship to be re-established
Back in Australia, several high-profile Chinese Studies scholars have written an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Senator Wong, calling on the new government to “replace the language of war” and fix the “poor diplomatic relations “between China and Australia.
“The change of government presents the opportunity for a break in the bad diplomatic relations that have developed between Australia and China in the recent past,” says the letter, which is signed by the directors of China’s major centers. ‘Australia.
“We recognize that the new government is likely to avoid the overly aggressive approach of its predecessor.
“In our view, less public aggression is likely to be more effective in dealing with China: international engagement should replace the language of war.”
The letter says that China’s growth as a global power “must be disruptive”, but that “two-way communication is needed, not ‘megaphone diplomacy'”.
“While we appreciate the enormous difficulties ahead, we urge this adjustment in China’s approach.”
Antony Blinken says China represents the most serious long-term challenge for international order. (AP: Kay Nietfeld)
The US describes a strategy for China
Meanwhile, in Washington, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has outlined the U.S. strategy to address China’s rise as a major power.
The United States would not try to change China’s political system, but would defend international law and institutions that maintain peace and security and make it possible for countries to coexist, Blinken said during a speech Thursday at local time. .
“We are not looking for a conflict or a new Cold War. On the contrary, we are determined to avoid both,” he said in a 45-minute speech at George Washington University, which covered the most controversial bilateral issues.
Blinken said China represents “the most serious long-term challenge for international order.”
He outlined a strategy for investing in U.S. competitiveness and aligning with allies and partners to compete with China, and said that competition is “ours to lose.”
He said the Biden administration was willing to increase direct communication with Beijing through a wide range of issues and would “respond positively” if Chinese officials take steps to address concerns.
“But we cannot rely on Beijing to change its trajectory. So we will shape the strategic environment around Beijing to advance our vision of an open and inclusive international system,” he said.
In response, the Chinese embassy in Washington said that the United States and China share “broad common interests and a deep potential for cooperation” and that “competition … should not be used to define the China-US relations overview “.
Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said: “China and the United States can win with cooperation and lose with confrontation.
He noted a virtual summit between Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping last November and said the relationship was “at a critical junction”.
“We hope that the United States will work with China to seriously implement the common understanding that the two leaders have reached to improve communication, manage differences and focus on cooperation,” he said.
ABC / children
Posted 2 hours, 2 hours ago, Friday, May 27, 2022 at 4:05 AM, updated 32 minutes ago, 32 minutes ago, Friday, May 27, 2022 at 6:25 AM