China helped create political instability in Pacific islands: Wikileaks
December 20th, 2010 - 4:29 pm ICT by ANIWellington, Dec 20 (ANI): Secret US diplomatic cables released by the whistleblower website ‘Wikileaks’ have revealed that New Zealand defence officials had warned the US that the Chinese army was creating political instability in the Pacific islands.
According to stuff.co.nz, a cable from 2008 said that New Zealand was concerned about the future of the Pacific islands, ‘which are increasingly turning away from Australia and New Zealand to seek ties with Taiwan, China, Cuba and others’.
A US briefing from February 2006, says New Zealand officials were concerned that competition between Taiwan and China for resources and diplomatic leaks “contributes to political instability in Pacific Island nations,’ the leaked cable said.
Further, a cable from September 2006 quoted Riddell, the American sports company, as saying that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) had spoken to Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei during the minister’s trip to Wellington earlier in the year about activities in the Pacific.
According to the International Policy Division Director Paul Sinclair, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was providing aid defence forces in the region, especially Tonga and Fiji.
The PLA were outspending New Zealand by “wide margins’ in Papua New Guinea, he added.
Pacific Island director Heather Riddell was also quoted as saying in the cable that China’s “rapacious quest’ for natural resources undermined “good governance, sustainable development and environmental’ in Pacific Island states.
New Zealand aid officials had also travelled to Taiwan to deliver “a strong message” to Taiwanese officials in this regard, the report said. (ANI)
- New Zealand threatened Fiji's military chief with 'loss of family access' over coup - Dec 25, 2010
- No limit to expansion of nuke arsenal: China - Feb 28, 2011
- Strong earthquake strikes off Tonga, no damage reported - Dec 26, 2011
- India-New Zealand FTA negotiations likely in August - Jun 30, 2010
- Kiwi under 16 team arrives in India despite terror alert - May 02, 2010
- Strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake jolts the Pacific Ocean near Tonga - Sep 23, 2011
- Asians most discriminated against in New Zealand: Study - Feb 11, 2012
- New Zealand ready to fly out nationals from Egypt (Lead) - Jan 31, 2011
- US arms package to Taiwan irks China - Sep 20, 2011
- WikiLeaks: Diplomats fear Pakistan's nukes may fall into terrorist hands - Dec 01, 2010
- 27 missing as ferry sinks off Tonga - Aug 06, 2009
- China denies readying for war with Philippines - May 12, 2012
- Japan tsunami waves reach New Zealand - Mar 12, 2011
- WikiLeaks: US, Britain decided to play safe after 26/11 - Dec 03, 2010
- Strong earthquake hits off Tonga, no damage expected - Oct 12, 2010
Tags: aid officials, australia and new zealand, chinese army, defence forces, defence officials, division director, foreign affairs and trade, good governance, liberation army, mfat, ministry of foreign affairs, ministry of foreign affairs and trade, pacific island states, papua new guinea, political instability, rapacious, sports company, taiwan china, taiwanese officials, wikileaks