Page 12 - IB AUG 2018

Political Brief - PacIFIc

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China denounces US Pentagon report

Involving the People’s Republic of China, released by the
US Department of Defence, states China is now “willing to
employ coercive measures — both military and non-military
— to advance its interests and mitigate opposition from other
countries.”
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang rejected
this as “presumptuous and irresponsible,” stating it was “in
total disregard of facts.” Beijing’s military development was
defensive in nature and intended to safeguard its territorial
integrity, he added.
“We urge the US side to abandon the outdated cold-war and
zero-sum mentality … (and) stop issuing such irresponsible
reports year after year,” he said. “We also request that the US
stops releasing the related reports and safeguards the stable
development of the two countries’ military with real actions.”
The Pentagon believes the People’s Liberation Army Air
Force (PLAAF) is seeking to demonstrate its “capability to
strike US and allied forces and military bases in the western
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang. Photo: chineseembassy.org
Pacific Ocean, including Guam.”
Beijing, China – China has rejected what it called an “irrespon- The report says China began its long-range bomber flights
sible” Pentagon report claiming Beijing’s bombers are likely in 2013. It has since push out further into the Pacific Ocean,
training for strikes against US and allied targets in the Pacific. encircled the island nation of Taiwan, loitered off Japan and
The report, issued early August said China was leveraging Korea — and penetrated as far as the US central Pacific island
its growing military, economic and diplomatic clout to rapidly of Guam.
establish regional dominance, while its bombers were develop- Beijing says the Pentagon’s report reveals more about the
ing capabilities to hit targets as far from the Chinese mainland US than it does China.
as possible. “The US’ technical analysis of the PLA capability is one
China is engaged in a decades-long build-up and modernisa- thing, the Pentagon’s publication of the analysis to hype the
tion of its once-backward armed forces, and military leaders “China threat” is another … When the US appears so bold to
have set a goal of fielding a world-class force by 2050. hype the threat, it proves Washington has totally lost its moral
The annual report on Military and Security Developments high ground and conscience.”

$20m for Solomon MPs Wallis and Futuna poised to join Forum
Honiara, Solomon Islands - A total of $20 million (US$2.5 mil- PAPEETE, French Polynesia - The French territory of Wallis and
lion) will be made available to cater for all members of Solomon Futuna is expected to be admitted as an associate member of
Islands Parliaments’ (MP) terminal grants when parliament dis- the Pacific Islands Forum at its summit in Nauru next month. A
solves at the end of this year. This was revealed by the Ministry statement by the French Polynesian presidency said the move
of Finance and Treasury (MoFT) during the Public Accounts was approved unanimously by the Forum foreign ministers who
Committee (PAC) hearing this month. Acting permanent secre- met in Samoa. The other two French Pacific territories, French
tary McKinnie Dentana said terminal grant should be prepared Polynesia and New Caledonia, were admitted as full members
by November and all 50 MPs should collect it by 18 December. two years ago after a decade as associate members. The state-
Each MP will receive $400,000 (US$51,000) from the $20 mil- ment also said the foreign ministers approved a revised security
lion. Under the Parliamentary Entitlement Commission, each MP policy, called Biketawa Plus, which would be submitted to the
is entitled to $400,000 in terminal grant after completing one leaders in Nauru. It also said there had been an animated dis-
term in parliament. cussion about a proposal to inscribe the Indonesia’s West Papua
on the UN decolonisation list. The statement said the exchange
Nauru riot legal proceedings continue involved Vanuatu, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa, but gave
Yaren, Nauru - The government has sought to clarify misinfor- no further details.
mation contained in recent media reports around ongoing court
proceedings for a group of Nauruans charged over the 2015 Western Pacific on El Niño watch
Parliament House riot. The Department of Justice has confirmed Majuro, Marshall Islands - The Western Pacific region may be
that lawyers for the defendants have applied for a permanent facing the resurgence of the El Niño weather condition later this
stay of proceedings, but that the trial which was originally set year. Guam-based weather official Charles Guard said there was
for 6 August, did not proceed as the judge vacated the trial date about a 70 per cent chance that the region would go into an El
to first rule on the stay application. The department said a claim Niño this autumn or winter. While it was not expected to be a
that the trial did not proceed because “the government had failed strong El Niño, he said even a weak or moderate event would
to comply with an order” to pay legal costs for the defendants, cause more storm activity in the Marshall Islands. In addition
was incorrect. to increased storm activity, El Niño conditions usually cause

12 Islands Business, August 2018