Page 5 - The Indian EYE 060322

BIG STORY JUNE 03, 2022 | The Indian Eye 5

Narendra Modi with U.S. President Joe Biden and Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar meets Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on the side-
during Quad Summit, in Tokyo (ANI Photo/Sidhant Sibal twitter) lines of the Quad Summit, in Tokyo on Tuesday. (ANI Photo/MEA Twitter)

international law including the UN status quo and increase tensions in tion and overflight. “We will cham- of freedom of navigation and over-
Convention on the Law of the Sea the area, such as the militarization of pion adherence to international law, flight, to meet challenges to the mar-
(UNCLOS) and are strongly opposed disputed features. particularly as reflected in the UN itime rules-based order, including in
to any coercive, provocative or unilat- The leaders emphasised the Convention on the Law of the Sea the East and South China Seas,” the
eral actions that seek to change the maintenance of freedom of naviga- (UNCLOS), and the maintenance statement said.

China looking for regional pacts with Pacific Island countries

hina is seeking a regional already warned that the documents
agreement with Pacific Is- reflected nothing short of an effort
Cland nations that would ex- by China “to acquire access and
pand its role in policing, maritime control of our region.”
cooperation, and cybersecurity and Granting China greater access,
also plans to offer scholarships for to the seas, lands, customs systems,
over 2,000 workers and young dip- and digital networks of their coun-
lomats. tries, will increase the chances of
Wang Yi, who is on a 10-day Beijing’s invasion into Taiwan, Pan-
visit to the pacific island countries, uelo argued.
is scheduled to meet with region- He further noted that this also
al leaders next week in Fiji. Prior looks like going to war with the
to his visit, Beijing sent the drafts United States, Japan, Australia, and
of the deal to 10 Pacific countries, New Zealand.
The New York Times reported. According to the document
Covering a range of issues, the sent to Pacific Island countries, this
documents appear to be a joint Wang Yi with S Jaishankar during his recent visit to New Delhi (ANI) year, if Covid allows, China promis-
communique that Beijing wants es to start a new training program
the countries to adopt. They offer for young diplomats from Pacific
a detailed outline of how Beijing fluence, according to The New York said, referring to China’s ruling Com- Island countries. It’s part of a capac-
seeks to win friends and gain great- Times. munist Party. ity-building plan that also includes
er access to the island chains that “Wang Yi’s visit in my view is a It amounts to a rapid acceleration seminars on Chinese governance.
have long played a strategic role in direct challenge to the open and free of a diplomatic push that has, until On the Solomon Islands, the
Asia’s geopolitical contests. Indo-Pacific,” Peter Kenilorea Jr, the now, largely focused on one country country’s media association has
The visit and the agreement both Solomon Islands deputy opposition at a time. The leaked agreement has vowed to boycott Wang’s visit to Ho-
seem aimed to counter American ef- leader said. the potential to pull several nations niara, the capital, because the pub-
forts to strengthen alliances in Asia. China is trying to show the Pacif- into Beijing’s orbit at once if widely lished schedule included a news con-
Yi’s first stop is the Solomon Is- ic that while the United States and its approved, reported The New York ference on Thursday specifying that
lands, where he is scheduled to ap- allies are “talking about you” in their Times. only one local journalist would be
pear on Thursday to sign a security Quad meeting, Kenilorea said, Chi- And there are signs that the bold allowed to ask just a single question.
pact that has already put the Amer- nese officials are “here to talk directly approach could backfire. The Pacific “It’s so unfortunate that Solo-
icans and the region on edge. And to you.” But, he added, China was also islands span thousands of miles, with mons is being used by Beijing now
he is visiting within days of President making demands. sparsely populated countries that to push their own regional ambi-
Biden’s Quad meeting in Tokyo with “A regional approach is a clear have unique histories and rivalries. tions and destabilize order,” the
their members, where the focus was escalation of Chinese Communist Par- President David Panuelo of the Solomon Islands deputy opposition
on containing China’s regional in- ty’s ambition in the Pacific,” Kenilorea Federated States of Micronesia has leader said.

www.TheIndianEYE.com