Fiji opposes China establishing a military base on the Pacific Islands. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka stated this Wednesday. He added that China does not require such a facility to project its power as demonstrated by a recent test of an intercontinental missile.

The Pacific Islands, strategically located between the United States of America and Asia, are the focus of Washington's and Beijing's rivalry for security relations.

Rabuka, speaking to the National Press Club of the Australian capital in Canberra, said that the islands were struggling to deal with a powerful, large China trying to expand its influence. He added that Beijing had understood his intention to lobby other Pacific leaders to oppose such a base.

He added that "Pacific leaders have in their recent discussions tried to go for policies which are friendly to everyone and enemies to no one - it's a pretty tough course of steering, but it's possible."

He said that the Pacific would be affected by any conflict between major powers over the Taiwan Strait, which China and other countries are already planning for.

He said that Fiji is against the establishment of a Chinese military base in response to questions about Beijing's ambitions for security in a part of the world where they already have a security agreement with Solomon Islands, and police presence in many nations.

"If they come, who will welcome them?" He said. "Not Fiji."

The Chinese embassy in Fiji has not responded to a comment request immediately. Beijing had previously ruled out the establishment of a military base on Solomon Islands.

Rabuka said that China does not need to have a base in order to project its power. In September, Beijing launched an intercontinental missile over Fiji and landed it in international waters.

China displayed its coast guard in May to 10 leaders from Pacific Islands, after registering a dozen of its boats with a regional fishing commission last year. However, it has not yet started patrols of the South Pacific.

Rabuka stated that the Chinese coast guard must "observe [our] sovereignty and our sovereign waters".

He said that Fiji's collaboration with China on infrastructure development should not impact its interactions with Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.

In order to manage the strategic competition within the region, Rabuka tries to gain support for the Ocean of Peace Treaty in order to ensure that outsiders respect the unity of the country and "reject coercion" as a way to achieve economic, political or security advantage.

The leaders of 18 Pacific Islands Forum members will discuss the pact in a meeting scheduled for September. (Reporting and editing by Clarence Fernandez in Sydney. Kirsty needham is based in Sydney)

(source: Reuters)