# China, Pacific islands unable to reach consensus on regional pact Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-05-30 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: China Urges Pacific Region Not to Be Overly Anxious After Meta Description: China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted a video meeting with foreign ministers from Pacific island nations to discuss a sweeping trade and security URL: https://financedigest.com/china-pacific-islands-unable-to-reach-consensus-on-regional-pacthtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-05-30t031042z1lynxmpei4t03brtroptp4ukraine-crisis-china-1736815681946-compressed.jpg) By Kirsty Needham (Reuters) -China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday urged the Pacific region not to be “too anxious” about his country’s aims after a meeting with his counterparts from 10 island nations deferred consideration of a sweeping trade and security communique. Wang hosted the video meeting with foreign ministers from Pacific island nations with diplomatic ties with China midway through a tour of the region where Beijing’s ambitions for wider security ties has caused concern among U.S. allies. A draft communique and five-year action [plan sent by China](https://www.financedigest.com/dutch-responds-to-us-china-policy-with-a-plan-to-curb-semiconductor-tech-exports.html "Dutch responds to US China policy with a plan to curb semiconductor tech exports") to the invited nations ahead of the meeting showed China was seeking a sweeping regional trade and security agreement. But the draft communique, first [reported by Reuters](https://www.financedigest.com/thomson-reuters-report-reveals-risk-compliance-staff-expect-to-see-significant-benefits-from-artificial-intelligence-ai-and-distributed-ledger-technologies.html "Thomson Reuters Report Reveals Risk & Compliance Staff Expect to See Significant Benefits from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Distributed Ledger Technologies"), prompted opposition from at least one of the invited nations, Federated States of Micronesia, according to a letter leaked last week. Other nations wanted it amended or a [decision delayed](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-ofcom-delays-bt-fibre-pricing-decision-after-ceo-remarks.html "UK’s Ofcom delays BT fibre pricing decision after CEO remarks"), an official from one Pacific country told Reuters before the meeting. Niue said in a statement after the meeting it wanted time to [consider China’s](https://www.financedigest.com/u-s-considers-crackdown-on-memory-chip-makers-in-china.html "U.S. considers crackdown on memory chip makers in China") proposal because it covered regional strategic interests. After the meeting, which included Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Niue and Vanuatu, Wang said further discussions were needed to shape more consensus. China will release its own position paper on our own positions and propositions and cooperation proposals with Pacific island countries, and going forward we will [continue to have ongoing and in-depth discussions and consultations](https://www.financedigest.com/independent-consulting-study-reveals-that-content-supply-chain-challenges-obstruct-customer-continuity.html "Independent Consulting Study Reveals That Content Supply Chain Challenges Obstruct Customer Continuity") to shape more consensus on cooperation,” he told reporters in Fiji. Wang said some had questioned China’s motives in being so active in the Pacific islands, and his response was [China supported developing](https://www.financedigest.com/china-most-promising-source-of-funds-for-overseas-developers-reveals-investorist.html "China ‘most promising source of funds’ for overseas developers, reveals Investorist") countries in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean also. Don’t be too anxious and don’t be too nervous, because the common development and prosperity of China and all the other [developing countries](https://www.financedigest.com/what-its-like-for-women-entrepreneurs-in-developing-countries.html "What it’s Like for Women Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries") would only mean great harmony, greater justice and greater progress of the whole world,” he said. China’s ambassador to Fiji, Qian Bo, said while answering questions after the briefing that participants had agreed to discuss the draft communique and the five-year plan “until we have [reached an agreement.”](https://www.financedigest.com/adnami-signs-agreements-with-schibsted-and-amedia-to-deliver-high-impact-ads-with-unparalleled-reach-across-the-nordics.html "Adnami signs agreements with Schibsted and Amedia to deliver high impact ads with unparalleled reach across the Nordics") There has been general [support from the 10 countries](https://www.financedigest.com/imf-and-the-national-bank-of-belgium-sign-sdr-350-million-borrowing-agreement-to-support-lending-to-low-income-countries.html "IMF and the National Bank of Belgium Sign SDR 350 million Borrowing Agreement to Support Lending to Low-Income Countries") with which we have diplomatic relations, but of course there are some concerns on some specific issues. He didn’t identify the areas of concern. We would like time to consider how the arrangement with [China will support existing regional plans](https://www.financedigest.com/birmingham-lines-up-post-brexit-housing-plan-with-a-little-help-from-its-friends-in-china.html "Birmingham lines up post-Brexit housing plan, with a little help from its friends in China") to ensure that our priorities are aligned and will be beneficial for all of us for regional prosperity,” Premier of Niue, Dalton Tagelagi, said in a statement released after the meeting. [CLIMATE CHANGE](https://www.financedigest.com/scientists-in-germany-turn-up-heat-on-seagrass-in-climate-change-fight.html "Scientists in Germany turn up heat on seagrass in climate change fight"), COVID The secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum, Henry Puna, [urged China](https://www.financedigest.com/who-urges-china-to-share-specific-data-regularly-on-covid-situation.html "WHO urges China to share specific data regularly on COVID situation") at the meeting to work with the region on its priorities, which were climate change and COVID-19 recovery, and through its agreed mechanisms, according to a statement from the forum. It is the [region’s main grouping](https://www.financedigest.com/runcorn-based-group-achieve-regional-growth-accolade.html "Runcorn-based Group achieve regional growth accolade"), with 18 members including nations that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan and not Beijing. Two nations aligned to Taiwan, Palau and Tuvalu, have recently said they are [concerned that Pacific islands would become pawns in superpower competition](https://www.financedigest.com/tesco-reported-to-competition-watchdog-by-consumer-group-over-pricing-concerns.html "Tesco reported to competition watchdog by consumer group over pricing concerns"). We are all well [aware of the increasing](https://www.financedigest.com/increasing-consumer-awareness-to-fuel-adoption-of-trailer-suspension-system-market.html "Increasing Consumer Awareness to Fuel Adoption of Trailer Suspension System Market") intensity of geopolitical manoeuvring in our region today. Indeed, the recent influx of high-level visits to our Blue Pacific demonstrates the increasing value that our partners, including China, [must place on our collective ability to think](https://www.financedigest.com/new-uk-pm-must-be-radical-to-stop-power-bill-catastrophe-think-tank.html "New UK PM must be radical to stop power bill catastrophe – think tank"), live, engage and deliver,” Puna told the meeting, according to the statement. Fiji’s Prime [Minister Frank Bainimarama told reporters after the meeting](https://www.financedigest.com/not-business-as-usual-for-g20-foreign-ministers-meeting-in-bali.html "Not ‘business as usual’ for G20 foreign ministers meeting in Bali") the Pacific nations were prioritising consensus. Geopolitical point-scoring means less than little to anyone whose community is slipping beneath the rising seas, whose job is being lost to the pandemic, or whose family is impacted by the rapid [rise in the price](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-prices-rise-on-u-s-drawdown-chinese-fears-weigh.html "Oil prices rise on U.S. drawdown, Chinese fears weigh") of commodities,” Bainimarama said. Bainimarama spoke with new Australian [Prime Minister](https://www.financedigest.com/economist-odor-picked-as-slovakias-caretaker-prime-minister.html "Economist Odor picked as Slovakia’s caretaker prime minister") Anthony Albanese in a call on Monday evening. The United States, Australia, Japan and New Zealand have expressed concerns about a [security pact signed](https://www.financedigest.com/allpay-signs-with-eckoh-to-secure-telephone-payments.html "allpay signs with Eckoh to secure telephone payments") by the Solomon Islands with China last month, saying it had regional consequences and could lead to a Chinese military presence close to Australia and in a strategic position in the Pacific. Wang will travel to the South Pacific kingdom of Tonga for a two-day visit on Tuesday. (Reporting by Kirsty Needham and John Mair in Sydney and Yew Lun Tian in Beijing; Editing by Lincoln Feast, Raju Gopalakrishnan and Jacqueline Wong) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---