Envoys jostle in Pacific

China’s foreign minister yesterday arrived on the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati, where the future of a vast fishing ground is at stake.

The planned four-hour visit by Wang Yi was his second stop on an eight-nation tour that comes amid growing concerns about Beijing’s military and financial ambitions in the South Pacific region.

Kiribati closed its borders this year as it tries to stamp out an outbreak of Covid-19. But its government made a rare exception to allow Wang and his 20-strong delegation into the country for face-to-face discussions. At stake in Kiribati is the future of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area, a stretch of ocean the size of California that has been named a Unesco World Heritage site. In November, Kiribati President Taneti Maamau announced the government planned to end the commercial fishing ban that had been in place since

2015 and to begin to sustainably fish the area.

Anna Powles, a senior lecturer in security studies at Massey University, said she expected there would be some fisheries agreements between China and Kiribati that would come from Wang’s visit. Powles said China, which already dominated fishing in the region, had offered to upgrade an airport runway and causeway in the Phoenix Islands.

‘‘The worry is that this would essentially obliterate the fish stock,’’ she said. There were also concerns that any base for Chinese commercial fishing fleets in Kiribati could also be used as an additional hub for Beijing’s surveillance activities.

Kiribati’s president said Wang would visit his residence for bilateral discussions and emphasized the health protocols that were in place.

‘‘The high-level state visit is an important milestone for KiribatiChina relations, as it will strengthen and promote partnership and cooperation between our two countries after the resumption of diplomatic ties in 2019,’’ Maamau said.

China says Wang’s trip to the region builds on a long history of friendly relations. A draft document obtained by The Associated Press shows Wang is hoping to strike a deal with 10 small Pacific nations during his visit. The sweeping agreement covers everything from security to fisheries and is seen by at least one Pacific leader as an attempt by Beijing to wrest control of the region.

Wang is hoping the countries will endorse the pre-written agreement as part of a joint communique after a May 30meeting in Fiji with the other foreign ministers.

But Australia scrambled to counter themove on Thursday by sending its Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, to Fiji to shore up support in the Pacific. In Fiji, Wong said it was up to each island nation to decide what partnerships they formed and what agreements they signed, but urged them to consider the benefits of sticking with Australia.

‘‘Australia will be a partner that doesn’t come with strings attached nor imposing unsustainable financial burdens,’’ Wong said. ‘‘We are a partner that won’t erode Pacific priorities or Pacific institutions.’’

Yesterday, Wong met with Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama.

China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands last month. That pact has raised fears China could send troops to the island nation or even establish a military base there, not far from Australia.

The Solomon Islands and China say there are no plans for a base.

During his 10-day visit, Wang is also planning to make stops in Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timor.

Australia’s new prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said on Thursday he had sent Wong to Fiji because Australia needed to ‘‘step up’’ in the Pacific.

‘‘We need to respond because this is China seeking to increase its influence in the region of the world where Australia has been the security partner of choice since the Second World War,’’ he said.

But a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that in recent years, exchanges and co-operation between Beijing and the island nations had been expanding in a development that was welcomed by the Pacific countries.