Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to the Pacific will coincide with attempts by Beijing to advance a South Pacific-wide deal with 10 island nations covering areas such as policing, security, and data communication, according to a leaked draft of the agreement.
The expansive pact is the latest step by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to entrench its influence and presence in the region—a situation which has left democratic nations scrambling to shore up alliances.
A draft communique of the China-Pacific Island Countries Common Development Vision and a five-year action plan—leaked to Reuters—has been circulated to the leaders of 10 Pacific nations, prior to the Chinese foreign minister’s tour to eight nations in the region….