OpinionThinking About China

Pacific Islanders Say ‘No Thanks’ to Chinese ’Friendship’

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Pacific Islanders Say ‘No Thanks’ to Chinese ’Friendship’
Tongan Prime Minister Huakavameiliku (2nd L) and visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) hold a meeting at the prime minister's office in Nukualofa, Tonga, on May 31, 2022. Linny Folau/MatangiTonga/AFP via Getty Images
Richard A. Bitzinger
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Commentary

In late May, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a virtual summit with the leaders of several Pacific Island republics to entice them into joining a Beijing-led mutual security and economic agreement. It did not end well.

Richard A. Bitzinger
Richard A. Bitzinger
Author
Richard A. Bitzinger is an independent international security analyst. He was previously a senior fellow with the Military Transformations Program at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore, and he has held jobs in the U.S. government and at various think tanks. His research focuses on security and defense issues relating to the Asia-Pacific region, including the rise of China as a military power, and military modernization and arms proliferation in the region.
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