China’s engagement with South Pacific island nations poses no threat to Australia, Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian (肖千) said yesterday in response to concern that Beijing plans to establish a military foothold in the Solomon Islands.
Xiao made the comments in a newspaper opinion piece as reports emerged of a planned trip by a high-level Chinese delegation to the Solomons following the completion of a bilateral security pact.
“The cooperation between China and the South Pacific island countries is conducive to people’s well-being on both sides, and regional prosperity and stability, and will by no means threaten Australia’s security,” Xiao wrote in the Australian Financial Review.
“China’s rise should not be seen as a threat to Australia,” Xiao wrote.
He made no specific mention of the Solomon Islands or the security pact.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, whose government is seeking a fourth three-year term in elections next week, said he disagreed with the ambassador that “Chinese government interference in the Pacific is of no consequence.”
“I think it’s of great consequence,” Morrison told reporters. “I support the Australian national interests, not the Chinese government’s view of what national interests are, whether they be in Australia or across the Pacific, and that’s why I’ve always taken a very strong stance upon this.”
Australia and its allies, including the US, say that the China-Solomons pact might result in a Chinese naval base being established less than 2,000km off the northeast Australian coast.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has said that there will be no Chinese military base in his country.
China has denied seeking a military foothold in the islands.
Asked if China’s advancement should be considered a threat to Australia, opposition leader Anthony Albanese told reporters: “China has changed its posture. They are more aggressive in the region.”
“We need to, in the words of the [US President Joe] Biden administration, have competition without catastrophe,” Albanese said.
Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) is planning a trip to the Solomons, media reports have said.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had no information to release about a trip.
Sogavare’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on a potential Wang visit.
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