26-05-2022, 12:32 PM
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China wants 10 Pacific nations to endorse sweeping agreement on security, fisheries…
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26-05-2022, 12:36 PM
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Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese address the media at a press conference during the Quad leaders' meeting in Tokyo. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen (Alex Ellinghausen)
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26-05-2022, 01:11 PM
Looks like China is approaching Australia’s backyard, 10 island nations at a time.
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![[Image: 4-C3832-BC-FC9-A-4-AFC-9-FAD-4-BFDC5-B82773.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/ZYRYDqt/4-C3832-BC-FC9-A-4-AFC-9-FAD-4-BFDC5-B82773.jpg)
![[Image: 3-FE67-D0-A-5-DBC-420-F-9850-305-A4-E9-A3431.jpg]](https://i.ibb.co/SNcGRyW/3-FE67-D0-A-5-DBC-420-F-9850-305-A4-E9-A3431.jpg)
26-05-2022, 02:14 PM
HINA POWER | DIPLOMACY | OCEANIA
China Wants 10 Pacific Nations to Sign a Major Cooperation Agreement
Micronesia’s president called the draft sent out by Beijing “the single most game-changing proposed agreement in the Pacific in any of our lifetimes.”
By Nick Perry
May 26, 2022
China Wants 10 Pacific Nations to Sign a Major Cooperation Agreement
Credit: Depositphotos
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China wants 10 small Pacific nations 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.
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.
China’s move comes as Foreign Minister Wang Yi and a 20-strong delegation begin a visit to the region this week.
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Wang is visiting seven of the countries he hopes will endorse the “Common Development Vision” — the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea.
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Wang is also holding virtual meetings with the other three potential signatories — the Cook Islands, Niue, and the Federated States of Micronesia. He is hoping the countries will endorse the pre-written agreement as part of a joint communique after a scheduled May 30 meeting in Fiji he is holding with the foreign ministers from each of the 10 countries.
But Micronesia’s President David Panuelo has written an eight-page letter to the leaders of other Pacific nations saying his nation won’t be endorsing the plan and warning of dire consequences if others do.
Panuelo said in his letter, which the AP has obtained, that behind attractive words in the agreement like “equity” and “justice” are many worrying details.
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Among other concerns, he said, is that the agreement opens the door for China to own and control the region’s fisheries and communications infrastructure. He said China could intercept emails and listen in on phone calls.
Panuelo said in his letter that the agreement is “an intent to shift those of us with diplomatic relations with China very close to Beijing’s orbit, intrinsically tying the whole of our economies and societies to them.”
He warns the agreement would needlessly heighten geopolitical tensions and threaten regional stability.
In his letter, Panuelo said the Common Development Vision is “the single most game-changing proposed agreement in the Pacific in any of our lifetimes,” and it “threatens to bring a new Cold War era at best, and a World War at worst.”
Panuelo declined to comment on the letter or the proposed agreement.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Wednesday he didn’t know about Panuelo’s letter.
“But I don’t agree at all with the argument that cooperation between China and the South Pacific island countries will trigger a new Cold War,” he said.
Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
He said that China “has a long history of friendly relations with the South Pacific island countries” and had long provided them economic and technical assistance without any political strings attached.
Like some other countries in the Pacific, Micronesia is finding itself increasingly caught between the competing interests of Washington and Beijing.
Micronesia has close ties to the United States through a Compact of Free Association. But it also has what Panuelo describes in his letter as a “Great Friendship” with China that he hopes will continue despite his opposition to the agreement.
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The security aspects of the agreement will be particularly troubling to many in the region and beyond, especially after China signed a separate security pact with Solomon Islands last month.
That pact has raised fears that China could send troops to the island nation or even establish a military base there, not far from Australia. Solomon Islands and China say there are no plans for a base.
The May 30 meeting will be the second between Wang and the Pacific islands’ foreign ministers after they held a virtual meeting last October.
Those who follow China’s role in the Pacific will be scrutinizing the wording of the draft agreement.
Among its provisions: “China will hold intermediate and high-level police training for Pacific Island countries.”
The agreement says the countries will strengthen “cooperation in the fields of traditional and non-traditional security” and will “expand law enforcement cooperation, jointly combat transnational crime, and establish a dialog mechanism on law enforcement capacity and police cooperation.”
The agreement would also see the nations “expand exchanges between governments, legislatures and political parties.”
The draft agreement also stipulates that the Pacific countries “firmly abide” by the one-China principle, under which Taiwan, a self-ruled island democracy, is considered by Beijing to be part of China. Taiwan currently maintains ties with four Pacific island countries: Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and Tuvalu.
The draft would also uphold the “non-interference” principle that China often cites as a deterrent to other nations speaking out about its human rights record.
The agreement says that China and the Pacific countries would jointly formulate a marine spatial plan “to optimize the layout of the marine economy, and develop and utilize marine resources rationally, so as to promote a sustainable development of blue economy.”
China also promises more investment in the region by mobilizing private capital and encouraging “more competitive and reputable Chinese enterprises to participate in direct investment in Pacific Island countries.”
China also promised to dispatch Chinese language consultants, teachers, and volunteers to the islands.
ADVERTISEMENT
Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
The AP has also obtained a draft of a five-year action plan that’s intended to sit alongside the Common Development Vision, which outlines a number of immediate incentives that China is offering to the Pacific nations.
In the action plan, China says it will fully implement 2,500 government scholarships through 2025.
“In 2022, China will hold the first training program for young diplomats from Pacific Island countries, depending on the pandemic situation,” the draft plan states, adding that China will also hold seminars on governance and planning for the Pacific nations.
In the draft action plan, China says it will build criminal investigation laboratories as needed by the Pacific nations that can be used for fingerprint testing, forensic autopsies, and electronic forensics.
China also says it will also spend an additional $2 million and send 200 medics to the islands to help fight COVID-19 and promote health, and promises to help the countries in their efforts to combat climate change.
China Wants 10 Pacific Nations to Sign a Major Cooperation Agreement
Micronesia’s president called the draft sent out by Beijing “the single most game-changing proposed agreement in the Pacific in any of our lifetimes.”
By Nick Perry
May 26, 2022
China Wants 10 Pacific Nations to Sign a Major Cooperation Agreement
Credit: Depositphotos
ADVERTISEMENT
China wants 10 small Pacific nations 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.
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.
China’s move comes as Foreign Minister Wang Yi and a 20-strong delegation begin a visit to the region this week.
DIPLOMAT BRIEF
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
N
Get briefed on the story of the week, and developing stories to watch across the Asia-Pacific.
GET THE NEWSLETTER
Wang is visiting seven of the countries he hopes will endorse the “Common Development Vision” — the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea.
Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
Wang is also holding virtual meetings with the other three potential signatories — the Cook Islands, Niue, and the Federated States of Micronesia. He is hoping the countries will endorse the pre-written agreement as part of a joint communique after a scheduled May 30 meeting in Fiji he is holding with the foreign ministers from each of the 10 countries.
But Micronesia’s President David Panuelo has written an eight-page letter to the leaders of other Pacific nations saying his nation won’t be endorsing the plan and warning of dire consequences if others do.
Panuelo said in his letter, which the AP has obtained, that behind attractive words in the agreement like “equity” and “justice” are many worrying details.
ADVERTISEMENT
Among other concerns, he said, is that the agreement opens the door for China to own and control the region’s fisheries and communications infrastructure. He said China could intercept emails and listen in on phone calls.
Panuelo said in his letter that the agreement is “an intent to shift those of us with diplomatic relations with China very close to Beijing’s orbit, intrinsically tying the whole of our economies and societies to them.”
He warns the agreement would needlessly heighten geopolitical tensions and threaten regional stability.
In his letter, Panuelo said the Common Development Vision is “the single most game-changing proposed agreement in the Pacific in any of our lifetimes,” and it “threatens to bring a new Cold War era at best, and a World War at worst.”
Panuelo declined to comment on the letter or the proposed agreement.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Wednesday he didn’t know about Panuelo’s letter.
“But I don’t agree at all with the argument that cooperation between China and the South Pacific island countries will trigger a new Cold War,” he said.
Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
He said that China “has a long history of friendly relations with the South Pacific island countries” and had long provided them economic and technical assistance without any political strings attached.
Like some other countries in the Pacific, Micronesia is finding itself increasingly caught between the competing interests of Washington and Beijing.
Micronesia has close ties to the United States through a Compact of Free Association. But it also has what Panuelo describes in his letter as a “Great Friendship” with China that he hopes will continue despite his opposition to the agreement.
ADVERTISEMENT
The security aspects of the agreement will be particularly troubling to many in the region and beyond, especially after China signed a separate security pact with Solomon Islands last month.
That pact has raised fears that China could send troops to the island nation or even establish a military base there, not far from Australia. Solomon Islands and China say there are no plans for a base.
The May 30 meeting will be the second between Wang and the Pacific islands’ foreign ministers after they held a virtual meeting last October.
Those who follow China’s role in the Pacific will be scrutinizing the wording of the draft agreement.
Among its provisions: “China will hold intermediate and high-level police training for Pacific Island countries.”
The agreement says the countries will strengthen “cooperation in the fields of traditional and non-traditional security” and will “expand law enforcement cooperation, jointly combat transnational crime, and establish a dialog mechanism on law enforcement capacity and police cooperation.”
The agreement would also see the nations “expand exchanges between governments, legislatures and political parties.”
The draft agreement also stipulates that the Pacific countries “firmly abide” by the one-China principle, under which Taiwan, a self-ruled island democracy, is considered by Beijing to be part of China. Taiwan currently maintains ties with four Pacific island countries: Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and Tuvalu.
The draft would also uphold the “non-interference” principle that China often cites as a deterrent to other nations speaking out about its human rights record.
The agreement says that China and the Pacific countries would jointly formulate a marine spatial plan “to optimize the layout of the marine economy, and develop and utilize marine resources rationally, so as to promote a sustainable development of blue economy.”
China also promises more investment in the region by mobilizing private capital and encouraging “more competitive and reputable Chinese enterprises to participate in direct investment in Pacific Island countries.”
China also promised to dispatch Chinese language consultants, teachers, and volunteers to the islands.
ADVERTISEMENT
Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.
The AP has also obtained a draft of a five-year action plan that’s intended to sit alongside the Common Development Vision, which outlines a number of immediate incentives that China is offering to the Pacific nations.
In the action plan, China says it will fully implement 2,500 government scholarships through 2025.
“In 2022, China will hold the first training program for young diplomats from Pacific Island countries, depending on the pandemic situation,” the draft plan states, adding that China will also hold seminars on governance and planning for the Pacific nations.
In the draft action plan, China says it will build criminal investigation laboratories as needed by the Pacific nations that can be used for fingerprint testing, forensic autopsies, and electronic forensics.
China also says it will also spend an additional $2 million and send 200 medics to the islands to help fight COVID-19 and promote health, and promises to help the countries in their efforts to combat climate change.
26-05-2022, 02:18 PM
Like that US and Australia sure cannot tahan liao. Like Russia they might carry our special operations in China to stop the Chinese expansionist dream........ 
Thinking is difficult, that's why most people judge
Carl Jung
26-05-2022, 02:29 PM
Australia can continue sending battleships to SCS and buying US nuclear powered submarines, China is already at its doorsteps
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![[Image: D94-E17-E1-389-F-47-E2-9-DD0-66067865-D35-C.webp]](https://i.ibb.co/99kvhGT/D94-E17-E1-389-F-47-E2-9-DD0-66067865-D35-C.webp)
27-05-2022, 11:56 AM
(26-05-2022, 02:18 PM)Huliwang Wrote: Like that US and Australia sure cannot tahan liao. Like Russia they might carry our special operations in China to stop the Chinese expansionist dream........https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202205/1...html?id=11
Soon after Liaoning aircraft carrier group wrapped up its far sea drills in waters between Japan and the island of Taiwan, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy reportedly sent more warships simultaneously through two strategically important straits northwest and southwest of Japan on Monday, marking an increase in Chinese naval activities in the region at a time when US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made provocative remarks on China during Biden's visit to Japan.
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