China Rejects 'False Narratives' On Pacific Military Base Claims
This is the response from the Chinese embassy in Fiji after reports last week that quoted Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as saying China's military bases were "not welcome" in the region.
During his National Press Club appearance in Canberra, Rabuka was repeatedly pressed by reporters about China's influence in the Pacific.
While he praised President Xi Jinping as a "great leader", he said as long as he was leader, China would not be allowed to have a military base.
However, he said Beijing had proven that it does not need a base outside China "to be able to launch what they have into any other area of the world".
In a statement, China's embassy in Fiji said that claims about Beijing setting up a military base in the Pacific are "false narratives...baseless and driven by ulterior motives".
"China has always regarded Pacific Island Countries as good friends, good partners, and good brothers," the spokesperson for the embassy said.
"China has no interest in geopolitical competition, or seeking the so-called 'sphere of influence'. There is no political strings attached to China's assistance, no imposing one's will onto others, and no empty promises."
According to the ABC, Australian government assessments warn that China is seeking a security foothold in the Pacific, potentially through "dual use" infrastructure projects which could be used for military purposes.
Australia's Pacific Minister Pat Conroy has repeatedly said publicly that Beijing is seeking a security "presence" in the region, including through its attempts to expand police cooperation in the Pacific, the state broadcaster reported.
According to the Lowy Institute's Mihai Sora told the ABC that Rabuka's statements showed he was not on the same page as Australia when it came to Beijing's objectives.
"My takeaway was that the prime minister fundamentally does not want to recognise China's strategic intent," he said.
"Despite earlier acknowledging China's designs to increase influence, he doesn't connect that influence with seeking greater military access," he said.
"Australia still needs to do far more to achieve alignment in strategic world views, even… among our closest Pacific security partners."
But the Chinese embassy in Fiji said Beijing has been building roads and building bridges, and addressing development needs that respond to people's urgent needs.
The spokesperson for the embassy said China advocates for all countries to uphold Pacific Island countries' autonomy and prioritise development.
"China always believes that the Pacific is the homeland of the people of Pacific Island Countries, not the backyard of big powers outside the region.
"The Pacific is a stage for cooperation, not a battlefield for vicious competition. It makes no sense to view China's sincere help to Pacific Island Countries from the narrow perspective of geo-competition."
China tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in September that flew over Fiji to land 11,000 km from China in the international waters of the Pacific Ocean.
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