- China’s latest attempt to infiltrate the Pacific was rejected by 10 countries
- Beijing had looked to tie up trade and security deal with nations including Fiji
- They were told to focus on climate change not ‘geopolitical point-scoring’
China’s latest attempt to impose itself upon the Pacific has been blocked after 10 nations rejected its trade and security deal – with fears an agreement could spark a ‘new Cold War’.
Beijing confirmed it had signed the deal with the Solomon Islands in April, sparking fears the Communist nation could build a military base less than 2,000kilometres from Australian shores.
However, a group of 10 Pacific Island countries rejected Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during showdown talks in Fiji on Monday, saying they were united in the decision.
‘As always, we put consensus first among our countries throughout any discussion on new regional agreements,’ Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said in a press conference sitting next to the Chinese diplomat.