China’s growing role in South Pacific nations cannot be stopped, says vice-minister Zheng Zeguang
- No country need fear Beijing’s input in the region, which is not the domain of any single nation, says Zheng Zeguang
- Xi Jinping due in Papua New Guinea for Apec summit and meetings with leaders of nations with diplomatic ties to China
No country should or could stop China cooperating with South Pacific island nations, a Chinese official warned on Tuesday ahead of a summit involving Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders in the region.
“The island region is not under the sphere of influence of any country and everyone should join together to help with the island nations,” Zheng Zeguang, the vice-minister of the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
“The cooperation and aids we provide in the island nations are not targeting any third parties, and any country should not stop China’s friendly cooperation and communication with island nations – and of course they could not stop such cooperation and communication.”
Zheng said China was willing to cooperate with any countries in the region, but that other countries should “abandon the mentality of the cold war and the viewpoints of outdated zero-sum games” over China’s relations with the island nations.
The remarks by Zheng come at a time when Beijing has been steadily stepping up its engagement with the South Pacific nations through increased financial assistance that has unsettled traditional powers in the region.
Some are concerned that Beijing is loading poorer countries with infrastructure-related debt that they cannot repay.