China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his counterpart from the Solomon Islands that China “has no geopolitical intentions and does not seek a so-called ‘sphere of influence'” in its dealings with Pacific island nations.

Cooperation Without Strings

Wang stated that China’s cooperation with the Solomon Islands “comes with no political strings attached” and is not forcibly imposed. He emphasized that Pacific island nations are independent and sovereign nations, “not someone’s ‘backyard'”, and that China’s ties with these nations “should not be subject to interference from any third party”.

The meeting came a week after China’s military test-fired a missile with a dummy warhead from a nuclear-powered submarine into the South Pacific, which drew criticism from regional countries, including the Solomon Islands. China is willing to enhance cooperation with the Solomon Islands, including in green energy, healthcare, and climate change, Wang said.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.