On June 8th, 2022, the Kaselehlie Press, the only bi-weekly newspaper in the FSM, published, in its Vol. 22 and Iss. 11, an article by H.E. Huang Zheng, Chinese Ambassador to the FSM, titled Stand Firm in Pursuit of “Four-Pronged Adherence”, Push Forward Building of China-PICs Community with a Shared Future Hand-in-Hand. Below is its full text:
As developing countries in the Asia-Pacific alike, China and Pacific Island Countries (PICs) enjoy long-lasting friendly exchanges. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in the 1970s, China and PICs have continued to expand exchanges and cooperation in more than 20 areas, including trade, investment, ocean affairs, environmental protection, disaster prevention and mitigation, poverty alleviation, health care, education, tourism, culture, sports and at the sub-national level. For PICs, China has provided a large scale of economic and technical assistance without any political strings attached, details of which can be referred to in the Fact Sheet: Cooperation Between China and Pacific Island Countries
(https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202205/t20220524_10691917.html).
From May 26th to June 3rd, China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister H.E. Wang Yi paid an official visits to seven PICs, namely Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea, and a virtual visit to the Federated States of Micronesia upon invitation. He also held video conference with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Cook Islands and the Premier and Foreign Minister of Niue, and hosted the second China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Fiji. This visit set a new record for the history of friendly exchanges and opened a new chapter in the traditional friendship between China and the PICs.
When jointly meeting the press in Honiara with Foreign Minister of Solomon Islands T.H. Jeremiah Manele, H.E. Wang Yi introduced the purposes of his trip to the Pacific Islands region, stressing that China will continue to pursue “four-pronged adherence” to developing relations with PICs:
First, adhere to treating each other as equals. It’s China's consistent stance that all countries, big or small, are equal. When developing friendly relations with PICs, China will uphold justice while pursuing shared interests and follow the principle of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith. China regards PICs as an important part of South-South cooperation and an important partner in building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Second, adhere to mutual respect. China always respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of PICs, as well as the PICs people’s efforts to explore development paths in line with their own national conditions. When conducting exchanges and cooperation with PICs, we have never interfered in the internal affairs of PICs, never attached any political strings, and never sought any geopolitical self-interest.
Third, adhere to win-win cooperation. China will continue to be an advocate, builder and promoter of PICs development. China stays committed to deepening pragmatic cooperation with PICs in various fields and sincerely helping PICs develop economies, improve people’s well-being and enhance the capacity for self-driven development, and shares the dividends of China’s development with the PICs people.
Fourth, adhere to openness and inclusiveness. The Pacific Islands region should be a stage for cooperation, rather than an arena for vicious competition. China's cooperation with PICs doesn’t target any country, nor will it be disrupted by any country. At the same time, we respect the various ties that PICs have established with other countries, and are open-minded about carrying out more tripartite cooperation with other countries inside and outside the region.
In response to a reporter’s question about the China-Solomon Islands framework agreement on security cooperation, which has aroused some debate and suspicion, H.E. Wang Yi expounded on three principles for China and Solomon Islands to promote security cooperation: 1) fully respect the national sovereignty of Solomon Islands. China-Solomon Islands cooperation is based on Solomon Islands’ needs and requirements, on the premise of Solomon Islands’ consent, and on the basis of equal consultation; 2) help maintain the social stability of Solomon Islands. The aim of China-Solomon Islands security cooperation is to help Solomon Islands strengthen police capacity-building, offset the security governance deficit and maintain domestic stability and long-lasting peace and security. It’s not targeting third parties, nor does China intend to establish military bases in Solomon Islands; 3) in parallel with regional arrangements. China-Solomon Islands security cooperation and the existing regional arrangements complement each other, sharing the same objectives and interests. The cooperation conforms to the common interests of Solomon Islands and the Pacific Islands region.
At a joint press availability with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister T.H. Frank Bainimarama of Fiji after the successful conclusion of the second China-PICs Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, H.E. Wang Yi summarized the meeting’s five-point consensus as follows:
First, deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership. China and PICs will continue to support and help each other, firmly uphold each other’s core interests and major concerns, and keep consolidating and expanding the comprehensive strategic partnership.
Second, safeguarding national sovereignty, independence and dignity. It is important to respect the sovereignty of all countries, abide by the principle of non-interference, and jointly uphold the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, particular small and medium-sized countries.
Third, pursuing common development and prosperity. China will continue to provide assistance to PICs with no political strings attached to enhance the capability of PICs for self-driven development.
Fourth, advocating true multilateralism. China and PICs all abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter earnestly, advocate multilateralism, and call for efforts to implement the Paris Agreement faster and adopt practical measures to support the climate response of PICs.
Fifth, promoting people-to-people exchanges. China stands ready to further exchanges and cooperation with PICs in such areas as education, culture, youth, sports and media, provide PICs with Chinese government scholarships and various training opportunities, and encourage closer sub-national exchanges and cooperation.
On June 2nd, local time, H.E. Wang Yi held virtual meetings with T.H. Kandhi A. Elieisar, FSM Secretary of Foreign Affairs and H.E. John Haglelgam, Former President of the FSM and President of Micronesia-China Friendship Association (MCFA), respectively. The two sides exchanged in-depth views on carrying forward traditional friendship and consolidating the development of China-FSM Comprehensive Strategic Partnership featuring mutual respect and common development. They reached important consensus on seeking greater synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Blue Prosperity Micronesia by expanding cooperation in fields such as agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure, trade, investment and tourism, which will surely bring new vitality to the long-term development of bilateral relations and make positive contribution to the peace, stability and development in the Asia-Pacific.
H.E. Wang Yi emphasized, the facts over nearly half a century have proved that the exchanges between China and PICs did not and will not affect regional security and stability. What we focus on is economic development, and what we care about is improving people's well-being. What we are doing in PICs is building roads and bridges rather than increasing military presence.
Despite changes in the international landscape, China will always hold fast to “four-pronged adherence” to developing relations with PICs and be a good friend and good partner pursuing common development with the FSM on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. With the guidance of the notion of a Community with a Shared Future for Humanity and the consensus of the second China-PICs Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, China is ready to work with the FSM to actively materialize the outcome of this virtual visit to the FSM by State Councilor and Foreign Minister H.E. Wang Yi’s and keep pushing forward the China-FSM “Great Friendship” and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership onto new heights in a concerted efforts to build a China-PICs Community with a Shared Future.