FOLLOWING the G20 in Brisbane, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Fiji to woo leaders of eight Pacific island states, which are among the world’s smallest and least developed nations, showed the extent to which Beijing is actively seeking expanded strategic and economic involvement in our region. US President Barack Obama hurried back to Washington after the summit. But Mr Xi was in no rush to leave the region, travelling from Australia to New Zealand and then to Fiji. By any standards, his three-day stay was lengthy, aimed at showcasing Chinese economic power and strategic interest. Leaders of island nations as small as Niue, which has a population of 1611, were summoned to closed-door bilateral meetings with Mr Xi.
Source: The Australian