A special envoy has been chosen to fill an important role to support diplomatic relations in the Pacific Islands. This comes as Beijing and Washington compete for influence in the region.
China’s ambassador to Fiji since 2018, Qian Bo, was appointed as the first special envoy on Pacific Island affairs by the Chinese government. This was announced by Wang Wenbin, spokesman for China’s foreign ministry.
He further added that Beijing hopes to enhance exchange and cooperation between China and Pacific Island nations. Qian Bo is a positive upgrade for the China-Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Dialogue. A regional organisation, since the 2000s, which includes Australia and New Zealand.
