Canberra, May 30 (Representative) Australia’s newly elected prime minister Anthony Albanese has said that Pacific leaders have been “very positive” about his government’s renewed engagement, even as Beijing continues its diplomatic blitz across the increasingly contested region, Khaleej Times reported. These comments came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Fiji for closely watched meetings with the island nation’s leaders and other Pacific foreign ministers. Wang, who began his South Pacific tour Thursday with Solomon Islands, is expected to discuss with his fellow foreign ministers a wide-ranging draft agreement and five-year plan, which was leaked last week, and were circulated to at least 10 Pacific nations ahead of the Fiji meeting, sparking concern about Beijing’s ambitions to dramatically expand security and economic cooperation within the South Pacific.
Albanese was scathing in his assessment of the former Australian government’s Pacific plan, saying it had “dropped the ball” in the region — blaming both foreign aid cuts and “a non-engagement on values, adding that “For our Pacific Island neighbours, the issue of climate change is an absolute national security issue”. In addition to increased action on the environment, Albanese hinted at boosting aid and a plan to set up a defence training school in the Pacific, which would involve forces from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. Albanese said Australia’s renewed diplomatic push in the Pacific, which began with a visit to Fiji by new foreign minister Penny Wong, had been well-received.