Ten Pacific island states decline China-proposed security pact

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Fiji on May 30, 2022. AP

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It's a shot in the arm for Beijing.

The virtual summit between ten Pacific island countries and China failed to sign a security pact proposed by the Chinese foreign minister visiting the region. 

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With our correspondent in Beijing,

Stéphane Lagarde

Some have spoken of a marathon, but this tour of Wang Yi, the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Pacific, was all about a diplomatic "blitz" after Joe Biden's visit to Asia and

the Quad summit

.

Ten days, ten countries visited and for Beijing strong proposals on the table: millions of dollars of financial aid in the form of a memorandum within the framework of the Silk Roads, a free trade agreement with access to the the second largest economy in the world... Even President Xi Jinping went there with his message of friendship, assuring that China would be a "good brother" for the island nations.

This is what the head of Chinese diplomacy has again repeated to the president of the Kiribati archipelago Taneti Maamau.

"

China is the most reliable friend of developing countries,

" said the Chinese State Councilor.

We will continue to firmly uphold and protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, especially small and medium-sized developing countries

.”

Wang Yi said China is the most reliable friend of developing countries.

We will continue to speak up for and firmly safeguard the legitimate rights & interests of developing countries, especially small & medium-sized developing countries.

— Hua Chunying 华春莹 (@SpokespersonCHN) May 30, 2022

Only here, everything is not a question of size.

The deal would have flopped, this time anyway.

In a

letter to other regional leaders

quoted by AFP, the President of the Federated States of Micronesia, David Panuelo, called the draft agreement "

dishonest

" and giving too much "

economic control

" to the Chinese side.

Don't be "

too nervous and too anxious

", retorted Wang Yi to those, many in the Pacific, who want to maintain balanced relations with Beijing and Washington.

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  • China

  • Diplomacy

  • Micronesia

  • Kiribati