China's foreign minister visits Samoa to deepen Pacific ties

29/5/2022 7:11

        China's foreign minister met with the leaders of Samoa on Saturday on the third stop of an island-hopping tour aimed at deepening China's ties with Pacific nations.
        
        The two sides signed an economic and technical cooperation agreement, a handover certificate for an arts and culture center and the Samoa–China Friendship Park, and an exchange of letters for a fingerprint laboratory for the police, a Samoan government news release said.
        
        Australia and the United States are closely watching the 10-day trip by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, fearful that China could be laying the groundwork for an eventual military presence in the region that would extend its reach farther into the Pacific. China says its development of economic and security ties with Pacific nations doesn't pose a threat to others.