ECONOMIC INCENTIVES: Beijing has increased its engagement with Pacifc island nations, as well as countries with diplomatic ties to Taiwan, a commission report said

Taipei Times
Datew: Jun 16, 2018
By: Staff writer, with CNA, Washington

China’s increasing engagement with Pacific island nations is reducing Taiwan’s space on the international stage, a report released on Thursday by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) showed.

Since Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) took power in 2013, China has increased its dealings with Pacific island nations by including them in its “Belt and Road Initiative” — a major diplomatic and economic development policy, the report said.

Such a move demonstrates Beijing’s geostrategic interest in the Pacific islands region, which is home to considerable natural resources and raw materials, it said.

“Beijing’s heightened engagement in the region in recent years is driven by its broader diplomatic and strategic interests, reducing Taiwan’s international space, and gaining access to raw materials and natural resources,” the report said.
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