Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka (second from left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) attend a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on August 20, 2024. | Photo credit: AP
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday (August 20, 2024) vowed to strengthen ties with Fiji in a world beset by “turmoil” when he met the Pacific island’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka in Beijing.
China has increased its closeness to South Pacific countries in recent years, causing concern among Western powers – particularly the United States and Australia – which have historically had influence in the region.
Mr Rabuka met Mr Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing after visiting China for more than a week.
“(Our) two countries have always supported and helped each other as good friends, good partners, and have become a model of equality and friendly cooperation between big and small countries,” Mr Xi told Mr Rabuka.
He said Beijing is keen to “promote the building of a China-Fiji community with a shared future in a world full of turmoil and chaos and bring more benefits to its people”.
Mr Xi also praised Fiji’s recent success in rugby, for which it won a silver medal at the Paris Olympics last month.
Mr Rabuka thanked the Chinese leader and told Mr Xi that “Fiji is ready to send rugby coaches and players to China to play with Chinese teams.”
He also praised Xi’s meeting with US President Joe Biden in San Francisco last year, where he said “you may have achieved peace for the world”.
Mr Rabuka has taken a more cautious stance towards China’s growing security interests in the Pacific, and has praised Fiji’s warming relations with Beijing, saying he prefers dealing with democratic “traditional friends” on security matters.
Fiji and China signed several bilateral agreements on trade, military assistance, infrastructure and Chinese language education during Mr Rabuka’s visit, according to statements from both governments.
Prime Minister Li Keqiang pledged to increase imports from Fiji and encourage Chinese investment there in a meeting with Mr Rabuka on Sunday, according to a Chinese government statement.
Mr Rabuka also praised Beijing’s “customised innovative poverty alleviation strategies” during a visit to Ningde city in eastern China’s Fujian province.
Fiji’s prime minister last met Mr Xi at the Asia-Pacific Economic Summit in San Francisco last year, when the Chinese leader committed to help Fiji protect its “security and sovereignty”.
Mr Rabuka said following these talks, China could help develop Fiji’s ports and shipyards. He praised Beijing for its assistance to his country in fighting COVID-19, developing agriculture and revamping infrastructure.
China alarmed Western nations last year by signing a secret defence pact with the Solomon Islands, raising fears it could deploy military forces there.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele visited China in June and the Pacific country later said Beijing would contribute $20 million to its government budget.