China not seeking 'sphere of influence' in Pacific, Xi says

 

Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 28, 2019. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Pool

 

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is not seeking a sphere of influence in Pacific Ocean island states, President Xi Jinping told the visiting prime minister of Vanuatu amid fears in Western capitals of China's growing role in the region.

 

China has offered to help developing countries, including those in the Pacific, and many see Chinese lending as the best way to develop their economies. Critics say Chinese loans can lead countries into a debt trap, which Beijing denies.

 

The United States and Australia have looked on with particular concern at China's growing role in the Pacific. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison will visit the Solomon Islands next week.

 

Xi met Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai in Beijing's Great Hall of the People and said China upholds the principles of sincerity, real results and good faith to strengthen cooperation with Pacific island countries, China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.

 

"We have no private interests in island countries, and do not seek a so-called 'sphere of influence'," the ministry paraphrased Xi as saying.

 

China will always be a reliable good friend and partner, he said.

 

"Countries, no matter big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal members of the international community," Xi said.

 

China also opposes "great-power chauvinism", he said, without offering details.

 

Xi said Beijing was willing to deepen agricultural technology cooperation with Vanuatu and would continue to encourage Chinese companies to invest there.

 

Vanuatu and China denied reports last year that Beijing wanted to establish a permanent military presence there.

 

The Pacific is also an area of competition between China and self-ruled Taiwan, which maintains formal diplomatic ties with several island nations. China views Taiwan as merely a Chinese province with no right to diplomatic relations.

 

A top U.S. official said on Friday Pacific Island countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan should maintain them in the face of "heavy handed" attempts by China to reduce Taiwan's overseas contacts.

 

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-29

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Liar!

Well not openly so.

Just hastening the natural process of island creation. and destroying reefs in order to save them.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

China not seeking 'sphere of influence' in Pacific, Xi says

 

Nothing confirms the truth...as well as an 'official' denial.

 

 

substitute control over influence and the accuracy of the statement rises..

Mr Xi, we all rilly, rilly believe you.

1 hour ago, Hayduke said:

 

Nothing confirms the truth...as well as an 'official' denial.

 

 

Not seeking control.

Despite our best efforts it's just sort of happening.

See, see... There those Chinese go again. Taking an idea the US has utilized for years (ask Latin America) and using it to China’s advantage. A lot of brass for the US to critize the use of the wealth to buy influence.

Reminds me when Xi stood with Obama in the White house rose garden and flat out lied about China not militarizing the island in the S China sea. Obama minus his teleprompter did what he does best, look gormless, smile and get walked all over. And that was it. His weakness and gullibility cost the SE Asian region dearly and set into play a devastating and long running conflict.

 

 Now Trump has this Herculean task to reign in China and undo Obama's appalling errors. Here in the S China sea, across the Middle East. Everywhere. Just puts into perspective what a total disaster 44 was. Good luck Donald, if anyone can control the Chinese, you can. Stay strong.

 

typical Chin white lie Furphy - and to be expected!

 

 

he denies, using the 'sphere' word

 

 

when in reality, the Chinese are really creating a 'bloc'   

 

 

 

"Sphere of influence" was a term I recall used back when China was seen as "weak man of Asia" and numerous foreign powers carved up China for own purposes, so I can see why China may not wish to use that term.

Of course they want control, given their history. Not saying it is right, but it is very understandable

6 hours ago, Tug said:

Liar!

Actually he is not lying.

He doesn't want a sphere of influence.

He just want the complete control!

No, not a "sphere of influence." Just the entire sphere.

China views Taiwan as merely a Chinese province with no right to diplomatic relations.

 

Want to wind up a Chinese person? Just say 'I saw that China introduced gay marriage.'

 

"No we didn't!!!!'

 

'Taiwan did.'

 

'Taiwan is not...err...Tai....errr...'

 

Hours of endless fun.

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Reminds me when Xi stood with Obama in the White house rose garden and flat out lied about China not militarizing the island in the S China sea. Obama minus his teleprompter did what he does best, look gormless, smile and get walked all over. And that was it. His weakness and gullibility cost the SE Asian region dearly and set into play a devastating and long running conflict.

 

 Now Trump has this Herculean task to reign in China and undo Obama's appalling errors. Here in the S China sea, across the Middle East. Everywhere. Just puts into perspective what a total disaster 44 was. Good luck Donald, if anyone can control the Chinese, you can. Stay strong.

Because if the Chinese don't submit, Trump will do to them what he did to Venezuela and North Korea.

1 hour ago, TopDeadSenter said:

Reminds me when Xi stood with Obama in the White house rose garden and flat out lied about China not militarizing the island in the S China sea. Obama minus his teleprompter did what he does best, look gormless, smile and get walked all over. And that was it. His weakness and gullibility cost the SE Asian region dearly and set into play a devastating and long running conflict.

 

 Now Trump has this Herculean task to reign in China and undo Obama's appalling errors. Here in the S China sea, across the Middle East. Everywhere. Just puts into perspective what a total disaster 44 was. Good luck Donald, if anyone can control the Chinese, you can. Stay strong.

Sigh. 

 

This is Thailand, and Thailand (and Asia) provide more than enough entertainment not to have to beat the Left vs Right USA political war drum. I suspect almost nobody thinks about Obama anymore, or Clinton or Bush - who ALL allowed China to 'walk all over them'. 

 

Since China joined the WTO, they have been systematically breaking rules, and NOBODY called them on it. Not left, not right. 

 

Now, I am happy Trump is kicking their @rse. Someone had to do it. Hopefully, the US keeps the pressure on. 

sure we believe him.......and pigs can fly

9 hours ago, webfact said:

We have no private interests in island countries, and do not seek a so-called 'sphere of influence'," the ministry paraphrased Xi as saying. 

OK. I was naturally a bit dubious of china's past and present aggressive territorial expansion history.

 

Now I am considerably relieved to hear Xi's denial of this policy.

 

Who am I to question the honesty or character of great leaders like Trump and Xi? I think it's just a character flaw I inherited from my parents.

 

I will sleep better tonight along with all Vanutans(?, Vanusians?)

 

OR:

 

great emphasis on the 'para' part of paraphrase. Those rascally ministers !

10 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

Sigh. 

 

This is Thailand, and Thailand (and Asia) provide more than enough entertainment not to have to beat the Left vs Right USA political war drum. I suspect almost nobody thinks about Obama anymore, or Clinton or Bush - who ALL allowed China to 'walk all over them'. 

 

Since China joined the WTO, they have been systematically breaking rules, and NOBODY called them on it. Not left, not right. 

 

Now, I am happy Trump is kicking their @rse. Someone had to do it. Hopefully, the US keeps the pressure on. 

Trump is only forcing them to work longer hours.  

Third world people work because they fear hunger.  

10 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

Now, I am happy Trump is kicking their @rse. Someone had to do it. Hopefully, the US keeps the pressure on. 

Word went out in China tonight that they will turn off the rare earth exports to America.

 

80% of America's rare earth imports come from China.

 

Mess with their tech, they'll wreck your tech.

 

Then they'll devalue the yuan and screw the dollar.

 

Sleep tight.

2 hours ago, Traubert said:

Word went out in China tonight that they will turn off the rare earth exports to America.

 

80% of America's rare earth imports come from China.

 

Mess with their tech, they'll wreck your tech.

 

Then they'll devalue the yuan and screw the dollar.

 

Sleep tight.

I try to avoid this type of organ measuring debate. 

 

Rare earths are all over the world including the US and AU. China provides them more cheaply but they are not the only provider

 

Search for: "Is threat of withholding rare-earth metals a key weapon in China’s trade war with U.S.?" 

 

"analysts aren’t convinced global dependence on Chinese supplies would allow Beijing to do much damage to the U.S. economy" 

4 hours ago, Traubert said:

Word went out in China tonight that they will turn off the rare earth exports to America.

 

80% of America's rare earth imports come from China.

 

Mess with their tech, they'll wreck your tech.

 

Then they'll devalue the yuan and screw the dollar.

 

Sleep tight.

Really? Got a source for that? In fact, if China does cut rare earth exports it will doing itself a lot of damage in regards to Europe, Japan and the rest of the world that is not the United States. So it's far from certain that China will actually go ahead with this.

China is doing just fine.  yet we are told to worry about China's debt and bank problems.

massive stock buybacks and fragile public and private pension schemes, including Social Security entitlements [sic, as in most of us did vote for all of this spending on our super mega military]... with PIMCO's CIO now talking about it all in no mistaken terms recently....

maybe we need to be hedged for a lot more than just a stronger Thai Baht.  at least we live in a place where chickens and pigs are breed in backyards and dressed locally.... versus... we don't need to worry about whether we have at least as much 'guns and ammo' as our fellow neighbors do.... it's not at that kind of level for sure.  my God.  the USA is such a crazy place now.  China looks very good in comparison.        

 

15 hours ago, bristolboy said:

Because if the Chinese don't submit, Trump will do to them what he did to Venezuela and North Korea.

Come on man, China doesn't compete with the US.