The Chinese Foreign Ministry rebutted a series of smears against China in the Pacific Island countries on Monday, saying that China never seeks to build any sphere of influence and is not interested in geostrategic jostling, as its only focus is development and win-win cooperation.
Responding to Australian media reporting earlier that China’s cooperation with Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the Ihu Special Economic Zone includes building a military base, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a press briefing Monday that the allegations in the reports are “unfounded and misleading.”
The response came after a Daily Mail Australia report claimed on July 3 that China has “handed over $30 million to get a special economic zone in the town of Kikori in PNG’s Gulf Province off the ground and is desperate to invest more.”
“The futuristic $8 billion development project is set to include an airport, naval base and military base carved out of jungle land in Orokolo Bay at about 250km northwest of the capital Port Moresby,” claimed the report.
Before Wang made his remarks, Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Ministry said in a press release that the allegations in the reports are unfounded.
In previous years, China has implemented a host of economic, technological and investment projects in Papua New Guinea, making important contributions to boosting local economic growth and improving people’s livelihoods, Wang said. “This has been welcomed by both the government and people of Papua New Guinea,” he added.
Wang stressed that in pursuing cooperation with Pacific Islands countries including Papua New Guinea, China never seeks to build any sphere of influence and is not interested in geostrategic jostling. “Our sole focus is development and win-win cooperation.”
Wang also refuted disinformation about Kiribati, another Pacific Island country, which claimed that “Kiribati’s withdrawal from the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) may have something to do with China.”
“Let me make it clear that these reports are completely groundless,” Wang said. “For years, China and the PIF have had sound cooperative relations.”
I would like to stress that China does not interfere in the internal affairs of Pacific Island countries and hopes to see greater solidarity and closer cooperation among PICs for common development, Wang said.
Source:- Global Times
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin Photo: fmprc.gov.cn
