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PORT MORESBY (Reuters) – After world leaders flew out of Papua New Guinea following the acrimonious summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, leaders of Pacific nations gathered at the summit -commissariat of Australia for kangaroo sausages and cold beer.
A man walks in front of a billboard displaying the flags of the United States and Papua New Guinea one day after the closing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, in Port Moresby, Papua -New Guinea, November 19, 2018. REUTERS / David Gray
The latest function Sunday in the capital, Port Moresby, followed a whirlwind of diplomacy for the sparsely populated Pacific leaders but of strategic importance.
While they were celebrated by both East and West in the construction of APEC, the main issues that affected them – climate change and development – were largely discarded. at the top by a war of words between the superpowers in terms of trade policy.
As the two giants spared no effort, APEC leaders failed to agree on a release for the first time in the history of the forum.
"Let them fight … these are the problems that preoccupy them," Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi told Reuters during an interview in Port Moresby.
"They have absolutely no importance for us. All we are interested in is building a small road, a small hospital, a small school building and all these things concerning business issues go far beyond our understanding. "
Do not take sides
The Pacific island nations dominate ocean expanses, essential for the Second World War, and are home to fish stocks and fossil fuel reserves.
The emergence of China as the main donor and partner of the Pacific countries has led to friction between China and its Western allies.
China is now the second largest donor of aid to the region behind Australia, while it was almost nil ten years ago. The emergence of China was criticized Saturday by US Vice President Mike Pence, who said countries should not accept a debt that would compromise their sovereignty – a reference to the Chinese project Belt and Road.
These divisive comments do not necessarily go well.
"I am just satisfied with the Chinese President's message. I thought his views better reflected how we feel, "Charles Abel, treasurer of Papua New Guinea, told Reuters.
He said that he particularly appreciated Xi's remarks that developing countries benefit from the equal treatment of traders by developed countries. Abel, who is also deputy prime minister, added that he felt that Pence was a bit too aggressive.
"We are not interested in taking sides, we are just happy to work with all our good partners and we really appreciate the help coming," he said.
In Port Moresby, China had just added the latest alterations to a prestigious six-lane boulevard linking a main street from Port Moresby to Parliament.
Xi also introduced the Belt and Road Initiative to eight Pacific leaders at a meeting on Friday. Tonga registered and got a reprieve from repaying their debts in Beijing.
For its part, Pence said that the United States would join Australia and PNG for the construction of a port on the island of Manus. The United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand also announced an ambitious $ 1.7 billion plan to expand PNG's grid and internet coverage.
SNAGS
The big economies have also shown soft power. Pence showed nine Pacific leaders a 400-year-old Bible that is in PNG's parliament after helping to get his gift from a missionary.
On Sunday night, as the sweltering heat gave way to a sea breeze, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the sausages on the barbecue, touting university scholarships and closer ties with Australia.
However, neither Pence nor Morrison matched Chinese rhetoric about climate change, a major security issue for the Pacific Islands, where rising sea levels force people to move to higher ground.
Climate change has been the focus of Xi's bilateral meetings with the Pacific countries, who are concerned about Washington's withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement and Australia's soft focus on the issue.
"I went to China and I also witnessed the rebuilding of huge trees and the destruction of big industries producing huge greenhouse gases in the air," said Tuilaepa of Samoa.
"We expect all countries to respect their commitments, that they be signed together and that if we fail to contain global warming, the polar ice melts. You know what will happen.
Report from Charlotte Greenfield and Tom Westbrook to PORT MORESBY; Edited by John Mair and Neil Fullick
