China Drops South Pacific Security In Pacific Islands Dialogue To Concentrate On Trade

The Chinese and PIC delegations in Fiji

By Chris Devonshire-Ellis

Beijing promotes a willingness to debate and is adopting a more reasonable tone towards regional affairs.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi has been holding a meeting with Pacific Island leaders in Fiji today, (Monday, May 30) where Chinese proposals to the grouping, which included Samoa, Tonga, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Niue and Vanuatu had been based on a number of issues including regional security and trade.

Wang said following the session that China and the Pacific Island Countries (PIC) had agreed on five areas of cooperation but further discussions were needed to shape more consensus. The five areas he listed included economic recovery after the Covid pandemic, new centres for agriculture and disaster, as well as unspecified infrastructure developments, but did not include security.

“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 to shape more consensus on cooperation.” he stated after the meeting.

The refusal of the PIC to countenance Chinese security plans will be a relief to Australia, New Zealand, London, and the United States as it reduces, at least for now, the possibility of regional naval friction occurring between Chinese and Western navies. Interestingly, it points to the regional trade aspect, rather than the more often red flagged security aspect as being of more importance to China. That may disappoint some, with Australia having committed US$168-183 billion on a naval shipbuilding programme.

The aspect of increased trade with the PIC is however also potentially an area of concern.  The PIC have an estimated 30 million km2 reach of the Pacific, and retain sovereign fishing rights over this. That is an area equivalent to about 20% of the entire Pacific Ocean. This is home to the world’s largest and most valuable tuna fishing grounds, along with numerous other species. China will view this as a major commodity, and will be keen to tie up fishing agreements with PIC members. The West’s concern (although the US and EU have also overfished their own Oceans) is that the sheer size of the Chinese consumption potential will wipe much of these stocks out. That requires sustainability actions on a regional basis that all parties will need to observe. To date, China’s reputation in following such agreements has not been as good as it ought to have been.

In terms of disaster recovery and management, China has a vested interest in this area, which is unfortunately likely to affect the PIC faster and with more violence than other areas of the world, including China. The study of the effects of global warming, unstable weather and the impact on maritime stocks will be of intense interest to China as it too has vulnerable coastlines to the south of the country. China’s experience in the PIC in this regard will also be of huge significance to other countries, including Australia and New Zealand. One hopes that collaboration and the exchange of data can be shared.

Wang ended the meeting with the closing remark “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 would only mean great harmony, greater justice and greater progress of the whole world.” That can be seen as representative of a more reasonable line from Beijing, being seen to listen to concerns and to adjust as necessary. It should also be remembered that China has, or has tried to instigate similar initiatives elsewhere, with the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean nations in what essentially amounts to a global Blue Water strategy. The China-PIC issue however has raised a number of points:

• The recognition that China, in grouping smaller nations together, is allowing them a larger voice and illustrating their collective importance. That simple realisation runs contrary to the West’s traditional viewpoint of dealing with especially smaller nations on a bilateral basis, which has now revealed by the Chinese to have been neglectful. This is of particular relevance to the UK and its Commonwealth, which has become run down as a collective institution. The Chinese approach has been inclusive. Lessons need to be learned in properly understanding regional assets, including ones in remote areas of the world.
• The immediate reaction to China’s ideas and proposals from the Western perspective have tended to become politically and militarily alarmist to an extent of near-paranoia. China hasn’t engaged in armed conflict since the Sino-Vietnam conflict in 1979. Reactions to any Chinese proposals have not recently been as considered as they should be. This has made relations more, not less difficult.
• China appears to be willing to listen to collective concerns. That seems to run contrary to what is popularly referred to as an ‘autocratic state’ yet Wang’s decision to drop the security issue shows that right at the very top of Chinese governance, debate and differences of opinion are accepted. Western hawks should take note.
• The United States is facing growing criticism in many areas of its foreign policy and in its own domestic politics. This has come about due to a political polarisation within the US that has revealed huge chasms between the left and right with seemingly little middle ground. It is a seemingly unrelated subject, but the shooting of students yet again at an American school is symptomatic of a larger malaise – the US government is increasingly unable to make decisions that will lead to a decrease in weapons manufacturing.
• At the other extreme is the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where the US is sending powerful weapons to support a conflict few Americans – and increasing numbers of Europeans – benefit from. This situation is likely to get worse before it gets better, and especially towards the year end where Western food and energy supplies will be sorely tested in the Winter months.
• China meanwhile is projecting itself as more reasonable, willing to listen and willing to compromise. That stance is being noticed by an increasing number of countries worldwide. A shift from acceptance of the United States, to an acceptance of China, with an increasing mistrust of Washington is beginning to occur. Wang’s reasonableness in the PIC can be expected to have considerable, appreciative admirers elsewhere.

Related Reading

• The China-Pacific Island Countries Common Development Initiative: Content & Analysis
• The Beijing Proposed ‘China-India Ocean Council’