The United States says it shares concerns with Pacific Island countries over China’s activities in the region, including illegal fishing, economic coercion and the recent launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Murray said Washington was concerned about what he described as China’s “malign activities” in the Pacific, while stressing that stronger U.S engagement was not solely aimed at countering Beijing.
“The United States certainly shares concerns with our Pacific Island partners related to China’s malign activities in the Pacific,” Murray said during a virtual press briefing.
He listed illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, elite capture and corruption, economic coercion and environmental degradation among the concerns.
Murray also referred to the recent submarine-launched ballistic missile launch as a “provocation”.
He said the United States wanted to work with the Pacific Islands Forum and other regional organisations to address these concerns.
But Murray said Washington’s Pacific engagement was not driven simply by competition with China.
“We’re not simply engaging the Pacific because of a desire just to deter or oppose China,” he said.
“We want to, as the United States, have better relationships with these countries, which are so important to our own security and our own prosperity at home.”
Murray also raised China’s approach to Taiwan’s participation in the Pacific Islands Forum.
He said Washington opposed efforts by China to pressure Pacific countries to sever or downgrade relations with Taiwan or restrict Taiwan’s participation in the Forum.
“We continue to oppose China’s efforts to pressure countries to sever or downgrade ties with Taiwan or Taiwan’s participation in the Pacific Islands Forum,” Murray said.
He said there was a long-standing precedent for Taiwan’s participation as a development partner in the Forum and that the decision on its future participation should rest with PIF members.
“We believe it is up to PIF members to decide how to move forward in that regard,” he said.
Murray also criticised what he described as the international media focus on China during this year’s Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Palau.
He said coverage had focused heavily on China’s efforts to undermine the Forum, advance its interests and tensions between China and Taiwan.
“I thought it was unfortunate that during this year’s Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, so much of the international media coverage around the PIF focused on China’s efforts to undermine the Forum or to advance its own malign interests and/or focus on China-Taiwan friction,” Murray said.
He said the main focus for those attending the Forum was Pacific countries working together on their own economic and security priorities.
“For those of us on the ground, the predominant story in Palau was really PIF members’ efforts to collaborate to solve economic and security challenges,” he said.
Murray said the United States was pleased to participate in the Forum as a dialogue partner and contribute to regional cooperation.
“To sum up, I would say, yes, we’re concerned, but also we want to make sure that we’re advancing stronger U.S-Pacific ties that are focused on the benefits to the United States and to the people of the Pacific Islands,” he said.
