Illustration: Chen Xia/GT
The Third China-Pacific Island Countries (PICs) Foreign Ministers' Meeting will be held in Xiamen, Fujian Province from Wednesday to Thursday. This is the first time the meeting is held offline in China, with representatives from all 11 PICs that have diplomatic relations with China invited to attend. The continuously deepening friendly and cooperative relations between the two sides have injected new impetus into the common development and mutual prosperity of the Global South.
The collective visit to China by political leaders and foreign ministers of PICs is a microcosm of the recent "wave" of exchanges between the two sides. In 2024, state leaders from six PICs paid official visits to China. These high-level delegations were notably substantial, with rich agendas and fruitful outcomes, making 2024 a significant year in the history of exchanges between China and the PICs. China and PICs have strengthened mutual support within the framework of South-South cooperation. China has consistently provided economic and technological assistance to the island countries without attaching any political conditions, setting an example for the common development among countries of the Global South.
China has always upheld the principles of "four fully respects" in developing relations with PICs, which has been an important guarantee for the continuous progress of China-Pacific relations in recent years. This principle not only accurately summarizes China's consistent policy toward PICs, but also serves as an important guiding light for the comprehensive upgrading of bilateral relations in the next stage. China's cooperation with PICs in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, deepening development cooperation, addressing climate change and jointly upholding multilateralism will all closely revolve around the main axis of the "four fully respects," implementing the distinct character of China's diplomacy of treating all countries as equals, and assisting the development of PICs.
The upcoming third China-PICs foreign ministers' meeting will mark another high point in China-Pacific cooperation. Several key features characterize this new stage of cooperation. First, it will expand from infrastructure construction to capacity building and institutional building. For a long time, Chinese enterprises have leveraged their industrial and technological advantages to assist PICs in building important infrastructure and upgrading airports and ports. As people-to-people exchanges expand and development cooperation broadens, it now covers more capacity-building projects that focus on people, supporting islanders to study and train in China. China has sent multiple batches of experts in various fields to the island countries for exchanges, helping local communities better plan their development and careers, and assisting in designing institutional frameworks that are more conducive to economic and social development, nurturing local talent.
Second, the content of exchanges and mutual learning will more precisely meet the development needs of PICs. Adapting economic development strategies to local conditions is a valuable experience of China and an important part of South-South cooperation and exchanges. China, leveraging its advantages in green development and clean energy, helps island countries build industrial policy frameworks that fit their own endowments, mitigating the impacts of climate change. This is an essential part of the common development and mutual prosperity of the Global South.
China and the PICs have vast potential for cooperation in several key areas. There is broad space for joint efforts in tackling climate change. Continued efforts to enhance trade connectivity will inject fresh momentum into the global trading system. Closer diplomatic engagement and exchanges between think tanks will help build mutual trust and clarify misunderstandings. Together, China and PICs can explore a new path of dialogue distinct from the traditional, colonial models led by Western powers, and jointly advance a strategic coordination framework marked by solidarity and resonance among Global South countries. PICs are core members of the South Pacific region and are located in the core area of the southern route of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. As China steps more firmly into the deep seas and open oceans, its interactions with the PICs will only grow. Together, the two sides are moving toward each other. This not only makes the future of China's relations with PICs all the more promising, but also continuously injects momentum into the rising tide of development across the Global South.
The author is an assistant research fellow of the Department for Asia-Pacific Studies at the China Institute of International Studies. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn
