- 'Little Gregory' murder haunts France 40 years on
- Vietnam, China to expand rail links, cross-border payments
- Americans get their belief back as Pochettino makes his mark
- Vietnam, China to boost economic, defence cooperation
- Winning start for Pochettino's American adventure
- Tariffs, tax cuts, energy: What is in Trump's economic plan?
- Amazon wants to be everything to everyone
- US firms brace for more tariffs as election approaches
- Winning start for Poch's American adventure
- Morocco's tribeswomen see facial tattoo tradition fade
- Centre-left set to win as pro-Ukraine Lithuania votes
- Colombia guerilla group urges delegations not to attend COP16 in Cali
- Pakistan frets over security ahead of SCO summit
- Ronaldo scores 133rd Portugal goal in Nations League win over Poland
- 40 nations contributing to UN Lebanon peacekeeping force condemn 'attacks'
- Eight dead as heavy rain thrashes Brazil after long drought
- Jewish school in Canada hit by gunfire for second time
- Morocco crush Central African Republic, Guirassy scores hat-trick
- Dupont scores quickfire hat-trick on Toulouse Top 14 return
- Ronaldo scores in Portugal's Nations League win as Spain sink Denmark
- Interim boss Carsley has not applied for England job
- Mets hurler Senga ready to take on Dodgers in game one of NL Championship Series
- Ronaldo on target again as Portugal defeat Poland in Nations League
- Guardians rip Tigers 7-3 to advance in MLB playoffs
- AFP, BBC win top French war reporting awards
- Carsley goes back to basics as humbled England face Finland
- Alex Salmond: the man who took Scotland to the brink of independence
- Scotland's former leader Alex Salmond dies aged 69: party
- UN warns of catastrophe as Israel fights a two-front war
- Croatia extend Scotland's losing streak
- South Africa, New Zealand boost T20 World Cup semi-final hopes
- 'Very challenging': Israel faces Hezbollah in tricky terrain
- Farrell begins to feel at home as Racing 92 beat Toulon
- South Africa boost T20 World Cup semi-final hopes with Bangladesh win
- Samson ton powers India to T20 series sweep after record total
- Djokovic to face Sinner in Shanghai final with 100th title in sight
- UN peacekeepers to remain in Lebanon: spokesman
- Pro-Conquest film fuels debate in Mexico over colonial legacy
- Samson ton powers India to record 297-6 in Bangladesh T20
- New Zealand enjoy perfect start to America's Cup defence over Britain
- Pogacar emulates icon Coppi with fourth straight Il Lombardia triumph
- UN warns against 'catastrophic' regional conflict
- New Zealand crush Ineos Britannia in America's Cup opener
- Djokovic to face Sinner in blockbuster Shanghai Masters final
- With medical report Harris seeks to play health card against Trump
- Sri Lanka seeks to match success in W.Indies T20s
- Sinner reaches Shanghai final, will end year number one
- China-EU EV tariff talks in Brussels end with 'major differences': Beijing
- Sabalenka downs Gauff in three sets to reach Wuhan final
- Israel warns south Lebanon residents to 'not return'
China offers South Pacific nations security, free trade agreements
China has put forward plans to dramatically expand security and economic cooperation with South Pacific nations, with one regional leader calling it a thinly veiled effort to lock them into "Beijing's orbit".
The wide-ranging draft agreement and a five-year plan, both obtained by AFP Wednesday, will be the subject of discussion when Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi visits Pacific nations from Thursday.
It would offer ten small island-states millions of dollars in Chinese assistance, the prospect of a China-Pacific Islands free trade agreement and access to China's lucrative market of 1.4 billion people.
China would in return train local police, become involved in local cybersecurity, expand political ties, conduct sensitive marine mapping and gain greater access to natural resources.
The "comprehensive development vision" is believed to be up for approval when Wang meets regional foreign ministers on May 30 in Fiji.
The South Pacific is increasingly a theatre for competition between China and the United States -- which has been the primary power in the region for the last century.
Beijing has sought to develop a greater military, political and economic foothold, but until now has made only limited and uneven progress.
The plan, if agreed, would represent a step change, facilitating everything from the deployment of Chinese police to visits by Chinese "art troupes."
Flights between China and the Pacific Islands would increase, Beijing would appoint a regional envoy, supply training for young Pacific diplomats and provide 2,500 government "scholarships".
But it is already raising alarm bells in regional capitals.
- 'Control of our region' -
In a stark letter to fellow Pacific leaders, Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo warned the agreement seems "attractive" at first glance, but would allow China to "acquire access and control of our region".
Calling the proposals "disingenuous," Panuelo said they would "ensure Chinese influence in government", Chinese "economic control" of key industries and allow "mass surveillance" of calls and email.
It was, he said, "demonstrative of China's intention to shift Pacific allegiances in their direction".
"The result," he said, would be "the fracturing of regional peace, security and stability."
Micronesia has a compact of free association with the United States, making it one of the region's closest US allies.
But other Pacific leaders may see the Chinese proposal as possibly lucrative or beneficial.
The document is certain to cause consternation in Washington, Canberra and Wellington, where policymakers are still reeling from revelations that the Solomon Islands secretly negotiated a security agreement with Beijing.
A leaked draft of the agreement contained a provision allowing Chinese naval deployments to the island nation, which lies less than 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) from Australia.
It also prohibited the Solomon Islands from speaking publicly about the deal's contents without China's permission.
News of the deal -- which the United States and its allies fear could lead to a Chinese military presence in the region -- sparked a frantic round of telephone and shuttle diplomacy to limit implementation.
Beijing's latest proposal would effectively expand key elements of the Solomon Islands deal to nine other small Pacific nations.
For Washington and its allies, the presence of Chinese forces in the South Pacific would spell an end to decades of efforts to contain China inside the "first island chain".
It could also require a dramatic repositioning of US forces.
In a sign of how seriously the South Pacific is now being treated, Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong will visit Fiji on Thursday, her first solo foreign visit since taking office just days ago.
New Zealand's foreign minister on Wednesday held talks with her Solomon Islands' counterpart, winning assurances "that the agreement will not lead to a Chinese military base".
But there is still widespread unease.
US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink recently slammed the "complete lack of transparency" around the China-Solomon Islands agreement.
"We do know that (China) is seeking to establish a more robust overseas logistics and basing infrastructure that would allow the PLA [People's Liberation Army] to project and sustain military power at greater distances."
For Beijing, a base or even port access would challenge US hegemony in the region and ease what it sees as encirclement by the West.
Top Chinese diplomat Wang is expected to arrive in Solomon Island's capital Honiara on Thursday. kicking off a lengthy, eight-nation regional tour.
Travelling until June 4, Wang will also stop in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Kiribati and Samoa, as well as hold video calls with Micronesia and the Cook Islands -- a self-governing part of New Zealand.
In Honiara, the trip has already stirred local controversy.
Solomon Islands' journalists are threatening to boycott coverage after a "joint press conference" planned for Thursday evening was to feature only questions from state media.
A.Malone--AMWN