China stresses fruitful co-op with PICs, open to US engagement, warns against ‘secretly ganging up

BEIJING: US Vice President Kamala Harris announced at the Pacific Islands Forum that the US will establish two new embassies in the region and pledged $60 million per year in investment and assistance for the Pacific Islands. What’s China’s response? 

US Vice President Kamala Harris announced at the Pacific Islands Forum that the US will establish two new embassies in the region and pledged $60 million per year in investment and assistance for the Pacific Islands. What’s China’s response?

Wang Wenbin: First I would like to say that over the past half-century, China and Pacific Island countries (PICs) have witnessed sound growth of bilateral relations and fruitful cooperation in various fields. As a dialogue partner of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), China has maintained sound cooperation with PIF.

We are happy to see PICs receive more support for its development and vitalization from countries willing to do so. This has always been China’s position. At the same time, we believe that all countries, when pursuing cooperation with PICs, should follow the principle of openness and inclusiveness and not target any third party or harm their interests, instead of pledging openness and inclusiveness while secretly ganging up and forming small circles. I noted the statement of a US official that the US doesn’t ask PICs to choose between China and the US and its cooperation is not about countering China. We hope the US will deliver on its statement.

I have seen reports claiming that China had not been invited to the PIF meeting. I need to set the record straight. Based on the information we received from the meeting’s host, no dialogue sessions with dialogue partners have been scheduled for this year’s PIF Leaders Meeting. US Vice President Harris was invited to attend a meeting on fisheries under the PIF framework. Chinese representatives have been invited to attend relevant meetings and events.