This rivalry was confirmed by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday, warning, through Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, that Washington is seeking to use the islands as a starting point to “wage war”. .
This came after the state of Papua New Guinea, which gained independence from Australia in 1975 and is located on the “Ring of Fire” seismic line, signed an agreement with Washington that allows US forces access to its ports and airports.
It was also revealed by the US Department of Defense announcement that Beijing had rejected an invitation to hold a meeting in Singapore between the two countries’ defense ministers, Lloyd Austin and Li Shang-fu.
An American expert for “Sky News Arabia” reviews Washington’s objectives stemming from the agreement, and its relation to China’s previous signing of an agreement with the Solomon Islands, neighboring Papua Guinea.
Russia and the desire to “wage war”
The Russian Foreign Ministry assessed the deal in a statement: The deal is a step to militarize the Asia-Pacific region and draw Papua Guinea into Washington’s geopolitical games against Russia and China. The US military will be allowed to move freely on land and in the territorial waters of Papua Guinea. Despite the authorities’ assertion that the territory of New Guinea will not be used as a starting point for “waging war”, the content of the agreement indicates otherwise.
Agreement Details
Papua New Guinea Defense Minister Wayne Bakri Daki signed the agreement with his US counterpart Anthony Blinken in Port Moresby on May 22.
According to Papua Guinean Prime Minister James Marape, the agreement includes: defense cooperation agreement. Each country will be able to board the ships of the other. You will share your technical expertise. Allows the US Coast Guard to patrol the Papua Guinea Economic Zone. Use of US satellite security systems to monitor that country’s territorial waters.
Australia and India are on the crisis line
In a sign of growing competition for dominance in the South Pacific, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Port Moresby, underscoring his country’s role as a major regional player.
New Delhi sees the region as its backyard, and the Chinese advance there has raised concerns, according to Agence France Presse.
As for Australia, its Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, confirmed the total rejection of China’s plan to establish a military base in the Solomon Islands, calling it a “red line”.
How important is the region as a point of conflict?
In addition to its location in the Southern Ocean, Papua Guinea has wealth in gold, copper, silver, gas, timber, oil and fishing, according to the “Word Fact Book” published by US intelligence services.
US strategic expert Peter Alex told Sky News Arabia that Washington is seeking, by agreement, to distance Papua Guinea from Chinese hegemony by: Provide assistance to improve governance and transparency and combat human trafficking. There is security cooperation between the two countries and military exercises. The deal will allow Washington to move around the country’s waters and boost its military deployment capabilities, in exchange for access to US satellites to monitor illegal activity at sea. Australia and the US are working with the archipelago to redevelop a naval base on Manus as a counterweight to Chinese power.
Agreement between China and the Solomon Islands
China had already reached an agreement with the Solomon Islands last year, the details of which have not been disclosed, although reports have indicated that it allows the deployment of its forces there.
China’s foreign ministry responded in an earlier statement regarding criticism from Australia, New Zealand and the United States that the deal took into account the rules of international law and did not provide for the construction of a Chinese military base.
Read the Latest World News Today on The Eastern Herald.
