No political strings to China’s aid for Pacific island nations: Foreign Minister Wang Yi
- China has ‘never issued empty promises’ and Pacific island states have the right to choose their cooperation partners, Wang Yi says
- Remarks come as Wang arrives in PNG following visit to Indonesia on trip aimed at deeper South-South cooperation
The remarks on Saturday came as Wang arrived in Papua New Guinea following a visit to Indonesia on a trip aimed at deepening engagements with developing countries.
Addressing a joint press conference with his PNG counterpart Justin Tkatchenko in the capital Port Moresby, Wang said: “China’s assistance to the [Pacific] island countries has always been free of political conditions and impositions, and it has never issued empty promises.”
According to a Chinese foreign ministry statement, he said it was “natural and above board” for China and the island states to help each other and deepen South-South cooperation as developing countries, adding that island states had the right to choose their cooperation partners.
During a meeting with Tkatchenko earlier, Wang said: “China’s engagement and cooperation with the South Pacific island countries is dedicated to mutual support and assistance to achieve common development, without any geopolitical self-interest.”
The region should not become “an arena for great powers to play games”, and no country should treat it as its own “backyard” or engage in zero-sum games, he was quoted as saying by another Chinese foreign ministry statement, in what was a veiled swipe at the United States.