By Kirsty Needham
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Leaders of the four biggest Pacific Islands nations have delayed adopting a joint security strategy that could provide an opening for Beijing, against a backdrop of increasing rivalry between China, Australia and the United States in the Pacific Ocean.
The Melanesian Spearhead Group, which includes Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Fiji, had been negotiating its first joint security framework, focused on maritime security.
A meeting of the group’s leaders on Monday in Fiji delayed a decision, with Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko telling Reuters the security strategy was yet to be agreed on.
Discussions over Taiwan, among other matters, and how to accommodate the different positions of members was challenging, he said on Thursday.
The inter-government group, courted by Beijing which funded its headquarters in Vanuatu, has previously said it would consider China as a security partner.
The Pacific’s bigger diplomatic bloc, the 18-member Pacific Islands Forum, has rejected China security ties and said instead the Pacific should provide its own security.
Among the Melanesian Spearhead Group nations, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are seen as the closest to Beijing with policing ties, while Papua New Guinea has security deals with the United States and Australia, and Fiji has a defence partnership with Australia.
Australia said on Thursday it would assist the Pacific Islands to counter illegal fishing by doubling funding to A$477 million ($312 million) for aerial maritime surveillance across millions of km (miles) of the Pacific, using civilian planes and drones.
China, which operates the biggest fishing fleets, demonstrated its coast guard capabilities to 10 Pacific Islands ministers last month, prompting concern from some regional officials it may start patrolling the South Pacific, where the United States Coast Guard has increased activity.
LARGEST TRADING PARTNER
Australia’s Pacific Minister Pat Conroy attended the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting for the first time, sitting across the room from China’s ambassador Zhou Jian at the Fiji discussions.
China’s embassy in Fiji said in a statement that the group was a “crucial platform for promoting regional peace and stability”.
In the meeting, Conroy highlighted that Australia is the largest trading partner of every member of the group.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said in a statement that progress was made on the security strategy, with “a firm commitment to collaborate with member countries and associate partners to enhance stability and peace throughout the region”. He did not specific which partners.
In the Solomon Islands on Thursday, Conroy said Australia will provide 60 police vehicles, cyber security support and road upgrades for Honiara to host the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in September.
“The Pacific is best served by Pacific-led institutions and processes,” he said in a statement.
Solomon Islands is yet to formally respond to Australia’s offer in December of A$100 million to expand its police force, Conroy said in a television interview.
“I made it clear that I don’t think that China should be involved in policing in the Pacific,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Solomon Islands said it would fill any security gaps by seeking assistance from Melanesian countries, he added.
($1 = 1.5312 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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