Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. (Credits: Google)
Penny Wong, Australia’s newly sworn-in foreign minister, will return to the Pacific Islands on Wednesday, visiting Samoa and Tonga only days after her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.
Wong stated she was boarding an aircraft to “renew and strengthen Australia’s deep ties of friendship and family” as Australia and China compete for influence in the vast region.
Read more: Australia new cabinet record most number of women
Her latest journey coincides with China’s foreign minister Wang Yi’s barnstorming tour of the area, aimed at bolstering Beijing’s clout.
Wang has been inking a series of agreements on each of his visits, despite failing to garner backing for a regional security arrangement that would have seen Beijing assume a stronger role in sensitive areas like policing and cybersecurity.
According to state media, Xi offered China’s support for sports stadiums and wind power projects while signing a number of agreements on disaster prevention and mitigation, agriculture, fisheries, and healthcare in Tonga on Tuesday.
Read more: China inks deal with Samoa while Australia committed to Pacific Islands plan
Wang’s ten-day journey comes to a close on Wednesday with stops in Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.
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