Fiji brought a sense of relief among Quad partners and for US president Joe Biden after it agreed to join the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework on Saturday, after it was unveiled earlier this month during the Quad summit in Tokyo.
The announcement by Fiji comes at a time when Wang Yi, the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, is in the region and is planning to visit capital Suva amid his 10-nation trip.
https://twitter.com/FijiPM/status/1530265872354332673?s=20&t=sLs7UPH_ThyAqZqvcVNj7A
Wang Yi was in Solomon Islands and Samoa earlier as he convinced Pacific island-nations to join the China-Pacific Island Countries Common Development Vision which is Beijing’s tool to build security perches in a region that is home to major shipping routes and fisheries.
Fiji joined Australia, Brunei Darussalam, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the United States to become IPEF’s newest member.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that Fiji adds vital value and perspective to the IPEF.
“Fiji will add vital value and perspective to IPEF, including on our efforts to tackle the climate crisis and build a clean economy that creates good paying jobs,” Sullivan was quoted as saying by The Wall Street Journal.
Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama also spoke to the US National Security Council’s coordinator Kurt Campbell and said he appreciated Biden’s commitment toward the Pacific’s prosperity.
However, Biden should also thank Australian foreign minister Penny Wong, who was dispatched to the island nation days after Anthony Albanese was sworn in as Australian prime minister.
It is noteworthy that in the wake of China signing a security pact with Solomon Islands and tense relations between Beijing and Canberra, Albanese is also concentrating on Australia’s very own ‘Neighborhood First’ – taking a leaf out of Quad-partner Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s book.
“Our greatest concern isn’t geopolitics – it’s climate change. In that spirit, I had a wonderful meeting with Foreign Minister @SenatorWong to strengthen our Vuvale Partnership with Australia,” Bainimarama tweeted. He also said that Fiji is ‘no one’s backyard’.
Fiji is important to the Pacific Islands group of nations as it supports less affluent nations nearby. Bainimarama is also revered by other Pacific Island leaders.
Meanwhile, Samoa signed a bilateral agreement with China as Wang Yi and Samoan PM Fiame Naomi Mata’afa promised greater collaboration between Apia and Beijing.
“Samoa and the People’s Republic of China will continue to pursue greater collaboration that will deliver on joint interests and commitments,” the release said. Yi will head to Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor next to sign similar deals.
(with inputs from The Wall Street Journal, AFP and Nikkei Asia)
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