A view of a beach in Fiji Photo: VCG

Amid intensive and fruitful exchanges and cooperation between China and South Pacific island nations, Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is scheduled to visit China from Monday until August 21. Analysts said the visit shows that the two countries are actively seeking closer ties and opportunities for cooperation.

During the visit, leaders of the two countries will have in-depth exchanges of views on China-Fiji relations and important issues of mutual interest, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday.

Fiji is the first Pacific island country to have established diplomatic ties with China. Over the 49 years of diplomatic ties, China-Fiji relations have continued to make new progress, with fruitful outcomes in exchanges and cooperation in various areas, bringing benefit to the peoples of both countries, the ministry said. 

Through Rabuka's visit, China hopes to take the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development to a new level and work with Fiji to build an even closer community with a shared future between China and Pacific island countries, stated the ministry.

During this upcoming visit, we can expect increased cooperation in addressing climate change and economic development given that South Pacific countries place great importance on those areas, Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center at the East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Additionally, in areas such as new energy and desalination, China has advanced technologies that can directly translate into economic benefits for the South Pacific, which is exactly what these regional countries need, Chen noted.

Citing the previous China trips by some other Pacific island nation leaders who not only traveled to Beijing but also to other places in China, the expert predicted that the Fijian prime minister may also follow the same approach during his visit to conduct an in-depth bilateral interaction with China, indicating their desire to not only engage in dialogue and cooperation at the government level but also to deepen bilateral cooperation comprehensively.

While cooperation with China has brought tangible benefits to South Pacific island countries and their peoples, some politicians and media outlets from the US and some of its allies including Australia are trying to slander the cooperation.

For example, they tried to defame and mislead a policing cooperation between China and Fiji, citing the backdrop of a tussle for influence between China and the US in the Asia-Pacific.

After reviewing a policing cooperation deal with China for a year, Fiji in March decided to maintain the cooperation although Pacific Islands countries (PICs) are facing mounting pressure from some former colonial powers such as the US and Australia.

The police cooperation between China and PICs is rooted in the strong demand of those countries, Chen commented. The restored cooperation shows that the motivation behind the police cooperation is selfless and can genuinely help improve local social security, which will contribute to creating a favorable business environment for Chinese-funded enterprises and Chinese businesspeople in the area, representing a tangible mutual benefit, Chen added.

"Due to the long history of colonial rule by Western countries, the colonizers focused solely on exploitative governance, neglecting the well-being, economy and public governance of the local population. After these island nations gained independence, they were left with a mess in terms of governance and economy, often struggling to effectively address social security issues. In such circumstances, South Pacific island countries hope for cooperation from China," the expert said.

However, cooperation in social security has been misconstrued by the US-led West as a national security issue. 

Chen stressed that China has no military presence in the South Pacific island countries. Those former colonial powers including the US and Australia hope to firmly control the region politically, economically and in terms of security, reflecting a hegemonic mentality.

South Pacific island countries have no interest in getting involved in major power competition, experts said.  

For example, Fiji appeals to seek to strike a delicate balance between China and the US and its allies.

AFP reported Friday that during a visit to Australia last October, Rabuka said "Fiji's position is very clear. We are friendly with China, now, and the US, always, and do not want to be caught in the struggle between the superpowers."