Beijing calls concerns regarding its Pacific region expansion as false and misleading
China has slammed recent comments made by US President Joe Biden and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern regarding Beijing’s increased activity in the Pacific region, calling it a gross interference in China’s internal affairs.
Biden and Ardern met on Tuesday in Washington, where they released a joint statement expressing shared concerns over Beijing’s recent security agreement with the Solomon Islands.
“The establishment of a persistent military presence in the Pacific by a state that does not share our values or security interests would fundamentally alter the strategic balance of the region and pose national-security concerns to both our countries,”You can read the White House Statement.
“We have more work to do on these Pacific islands,”Biden stated this before meeting Ardern. He said that the US and New Zealand are strongly aligned. “furthering the Pacific values and the focus that Pacific island leaders have determined for themselves.”
China’s Foreign ministry has hit out at these statements, insisting that they smeared China and grossly interfered in Beijing’s internal affairs.
“We have taken note of the relevant joint statement, which distorts the facts and slanders China’s regular cooperation with the countries of Oceania,”Zhao Lijian from the Chinese Foreign Ministry added, ” “This is gross interference in the internal affairs of the People’s Republic of China, which we strongly protest.”
The spokesperson stressed that China’s deal with the Solomon Islands will have a positive effect on the peaceful development of Oceania, and that security cooperation between the two countries is not aimed against any other nation. “We don’t intend to build military bases there,”Zhao insisted.
However, the US and Australia are concerned about the security ties that exist between China’s Solomon islands and their Pacific allies Australia. Australia is located approximately 2,000km from Solomon islands. Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stated that a potential Chinese military base on the islands was a “red line”This would be unacceptable. Washington and he have not yet made clear their plans for dealing with a Chinese presence within the region.
Manasseh Sogavore, Solomon Island’s Prime Minister, told parliament that China-opponents to his new security pact had threatened Solomon Island with invasion. Australia’s PM has denied these claims and insisted that his country will respond “calmly”You can get the deal.
Learn more
China and the Pacific sign a new agreement
Beijing declared last week that it would increase its cooperation with Solomon Islands “pursue greater collaboration that will deliver on joint interests and commitments,”Also regional “peace and security.”
“Under the current circumstance of unilateralism and hegemonic bullying, China is willing to consolidate unity and cooperation with developing countries including Samoa, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights of developing nations, and insist on true multilateralism,”Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister on Saturday.
As China seeks to improve its security and economic cooperation within the Pacific, Wang is on a diplomat tour. Beijing has proposed several wide-ranging deals to a number of Pacific island nations, however, many have remained cautious, citing concerns that China’s active presence in the region could lead to geopolitical tensions with the US and its allies.
