Pre-Trip Information

Asia: China

Pacific: Australia

Pacific: Solomon Islands

Pacific: Samoa

Pacific: Micronesia

Pacific: Palau

Pacific: Fiji

Pacific island nations resist pressure from China to sign onto a trade, investment, and security pact

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In the spring of 2022, a  bilateral security agreement between China and the Solomon Islands  sparked concerns about Beijing’s expanding geostrategic influence in the Pacific.  The controversial pact would allow Chinese military personnel and naval vessels  to be deployed to the Solomon Islands, and could set the course for the establishment of a Chines military base in close proximity to Australia.

Soon thereafter, it was clear that China would not stop with the Solomon Islands. In fact, it  would seek to forge similar deals with other Pacific island nations, such as  Kiribati, located only 3,000 kilometers from the site of the United States Indo-Pacific Command  in Hawaii.     

By the start of June 2022, China’s  Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi was on a tour of the Pacific region, with the goal of pursuing similar trade, investment, and security pacts with other Pacific island nations.  

The agreements were aimed at increasing China’s geostrategic influence in the region, and bringing these small island nations more closely into Beijing’s orbit.  Being more closely within Beijing’s orbit, and more economically dependent on Beijing, would ostensibly translate into more China-friendly positions on international issues.  Stated another way, with more vassal states of Beijing in the Pacific, China could count on more votes going its way at the United Nations, and certainly with regard to its claims on Taiwan. 

While the Solomon Islands had gone ahead and signed onto the deal amid controversy at home, other Pacific island nations were pressing the proverbial brakes.  

Certain aspects of the pacts, particularly the security measures, were cause for concern.  The program of regional policing was indicative of China’s interest in creating a new Beijing-centered security architecture in the Pacific region.  

For many Pacific island countries, there was genuine anger over the possible encroachment on sovereignty.  The governments of Micronesia, Samoa, Fiji, and Palau demonstrated outrage over China’s intended encroachment into their governing and economic affairs.

In the short term, it was clear China had over-reached and its efforts appeared to have ended in failure outside of the Solomon Islands.  Nevertheless, China has signaled that it remained interested in pursuing bilateral relationships with Pacific island nations, and it would very likely continue to go down this road.  China soon released  a position paper asserting that it was still "committed to deepening its strategic partnership" with Pacific island nations.

In the background of China’s attempt to establish “strategic perches” in the Pacific, the alarm bells were going off across the West - not only in Washington D.C., but also in Canberra.  To that end, Australia, a traditional ally to many Pacific island nations, has been concerned over increasing Chinese influence in the region for years.   In order to counter Chinese investment in the region, Australia established an infrastructure fund earmarked for the region.  As well,  it launched  a "Pacific Step-up" policy to re-engage with its neighbors in the Pacific.