Xi Jinping says China is not after Pacific ‘sphere of influence’
- Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai assured of Beijing’s intentions during state visit
- Will it be enough to calm Western fears of China’s growing role in the region?
Chinese President Xi Jinping has told the visiting prime minister of Vanuatu that Beijing is not seeking a sphere of influence in the Pacific Ocean island states, amid fears in Western capitals of China’s growing role in the region.
China has offered to help developing countries, including those in the Pacific, and many see Chinese lending as the best way to develop their economies. However, critics say Chinese loans can lead countries into a debt trap, which Beijing denies.
The United States and Australia have looked on with particular concern at China’s growing role in the Pacific. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison will visit the Solomon Islands next week.
Xi met Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People and said China upheld the principles of sincerity, real results and good faith to strengthen cooperation with Pacific island countries, according to China’s foreign ministry.
Pacific islands new diplomatic battleground for China and the West
“We have no private interests in island countries, and do not seek a so-called sphere of influence,” Xi said.
China would always be a reliable good friend and partner, he said.
“Countries, no matter big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community.”
The ministry statement also quoted Xi as saying China opposed “great-power chauvinism”, without offering details.
Xi said Beijing was willing to deepen agricultural technology cooperation with Vanuatu and would continue to encourage Chinese companies to invest there.
Vanuatu and China denied reports last year that Beijing wanted to establish a permanent military presence there.
The Pacific is also an area of competition between Beijing and self-ruled Taiwan, which maintains formal diplomatic ties with several island nations. Beijing views Taiwan as a wayward province with no right to diplomatic relations.
A top US official said on Friday that Pacific Island countries that had diplomatic ties with Taiwan should maintain them in the face of “heavy handed” attempts by Beijing to reduce Taiwan’s overseas contacts.
