Wang Visits 8 Pacific Island Nations as China's Foreign Minister... A Check on the 'Quad'

Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] On the 24th (local time), China announced the itinerary of Wang Yi, China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister in charge of diplomacy, for his visit to the Solomon Islands and eight neighboring countries. This move is interpreted as China’s response to countermeasures amid the Quad summit meeting composed of the United States, Japan, Australia, and India held in Tokyo, Japan on the same day.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, "Minister Wang will make an official visit from the 26th to June 4th to eight countries including the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor upon invitation, holding talks with foreign ministers of each country and paying courtesy visits to their heads of government."

During his visit to Fiji, Minister Wang will preside over the 2nd China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

The dispatch of a high-level Chinese delegation is the first since China signed a broad security cooperation agreement with the Solomon Islands last month. This is seen as China’s intention to expand its diplomatic and security foothold in the Pacific to counter the U.S. containment strategy against China through the Quad. China views the Quad as a move to form an "Asia-Pacific NATO."

Last month, China signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands that includes provisions allowing Chinese naval vessels to be dispatched to the Solomon Islands and receive logistical support locally as needed. China is also reportedly negotiating similar agreements with Kiribati, Tonga, and Vanuatu near the Solomon Islands.

In a joint statement released after their meeting on the 23rd, the U.S. and Japanese leaders expressed concern over the China-Solomon Islands security agreement, stating, "We express concern over the China-Solomon Islands security agreement concluded in a non-transparent manner without considering regional concerns."

Immediately after the Solomon Islands signed the security agreement with China, on the 22nd of last month, the U.S. dispatched a delegation led by Kurt Campbell, White House National Security Council (NSC) Indo-Pacific Coordinator, to the Solomon Islands, warning that if the deployment of Chinese troops becomes a reality, the U.S. will respond accordingly.