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China-West rivalry hits the Pacific as Wang Yi comes calling with security deals
- US-led IPEF signs up Fiji, and Australia asserts no-strings support for Pacific nations, as jostling with China over closer ties with region picks up pace
- ‘Whoever controls these islands controls the Pacific Ocean’, China-based analyst notes
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The Pacific islands are fast becoming a new front in geopolitical rivalry, with the US, China and Australia all stepping up engagement with the strategically important region.
In the latest event highlighting bitter China-US rivalry over Pacific influence, Fiji became the first country in the region to join the Washington-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), with the White House announcing the move just days ahead of a visit to the island nation by the Chinese foreign minister.
The IPEF, a trade initiative launched by US President Joe Biden during his trip to Japan last week, is the economic pillar of his Indo-Pacific strategy aiming to counter China’s expanding clout.
Fiji became the 14th nation overall to join the pact, with the White House declaration coming just as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi touched down in the Solomon Islands – the first stop of a 10-day, eight-nation South Pacific tour aimed at expanding Chinese military, economic and diplomatic ties.
News that China had signed a security pact with the Solomons earlier this year was met with alarm by Pacific neighbours US, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, over concerns that the deal would pave the way to a Chinese naval base there.
As China’s top diplomat met senior officials in the Solomons capital Honiara to hail the “spirit of South-South cooperation of mutual support and mutual assistance”, Australia’s new foreign minister, Penny Wong, arrived in Fiji for her first Pacific visit.
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