Pacific Islands Discuss China’s Advance

The leaders of Japan and eighteen island countries in Pacific Ocean declared for the first time that they would oppose any attempt of forcible change of status quo in the region, indicating unilateral advance of China, on the last day of the their summit held in Tokyo. The declaration encourages collective response against possible threats. The framework for development looks like transforming into security cooperation.

Japan has been hosting triennial Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) in Tokyo since 1997 to talk about economic cooperation or climate change with expectation of collecting votes for Japan’s bid for the permanent membership in United Nations Security Council. PALM members include sixteen island countries in the Pacific region, Australia and New Zealand. The tenth meeting was held between July 16 and 18.

 

The Joint Declaration issued by the leaders includes opposition to any war of aggression, reminding of Russia’s invasion to Ukraine. But it also indicates China’s advance in Asia-Pacific region in regional context. “They expressed strong opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by the threat or use of force or coercion anywhere in the world,” says the Joint Declaration.

 

The Defense of Japan 2024, annual white paper of Ministry of Defense of Japan, noted that China has been intensifying its activities beyond the First Island Chain to the Second Island Chain. In the series of diplomatic developments with Pacific countries, China signed a security pact with Solomon Islands in 2022 and announced its intention to build a comprehensive strategic partnership with Papua New Guinea this April. Japan regards the framework of PALM as a counter measure against China’s advance to the Pacific countries.

 

The government of Japan also announced “Pacific Climate Resilience Initiative” in PALM which consists of three pillars of strengthening disaster risk reduction and response capabilities, promoting clean energy and supporting Pacific-led efforts. Climate change is another great threat to the Pacific Islands. Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, expressed his intention to strengthen collaboration with Pacific islands to deal with damages from climate change.

 

It is undeniable that Japan has been imposing a kind of threat to Pacific islands by discharging processed water from crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant since 2023. The leaders of Pacific islands, with concern on Pacific eco-systems, requested Japan to provide with scientific information through International Atomic Energy Agency.

 

As China urges the Pacific countries to replace diplomatic ties with Taiwan to China, the geopolitical stakes in the region are getting high. It is likely that Japan, with some like-minded countries, and China will compete each other to include Pacific countries in their own group. In terms of cooperation and development, economic capability may matter in the competition.