China's Diplomatic Presence in the South Pacific: The Peace Ark and Beyond

 China is making its presence felt in the South Pacific, with the Navy’s “Peace Ark” hospital ship recently embarking on a tour of the region at a time of growing competition between China and the United States for influence.

The Peace Ark will visit five countries in the region - Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and East Timor - providing medical assistance to both Chinese citizens and local residents. The 14,300-metric-tonne vessel is painted white with red crosses on its sides, and can handle up to 1,000 patients at a time with over 100 medical staff working in 16 different departments.

It has multiple operating rooms, nursing stations and a blood bank, and has been previously deployed to provide relief in the wake of natural disasters, such as Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013. Beijing is building closer ties with countries in the Pacific, which has raised concerns from the US, Australia and New Zealand, as well as within the countries themselves.

China has signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands, with its Foreign Minister stating that relations between the two countries can be used as a model for relations with other Pacific nations. In response, the US has increased its activities in the region.

Last year, President Joe Biden invited Pacific leaders to a summit at the White House, pledging to triple funding for the South Pacific. The US also reopened its embassy in the Solomon Islands, opened an embassy in Tonga, and is planning one in Vanuatu.

China’s presence in the South Pacific is not limited to the Peace Ark. It is actively establishing political and economic ties with the region, and the US is taking steps to increase its own presence and investment.

As both countries attempt to gain leverage in the region, it will be interesting to see how the Pacific nations react and who they ultimately choose to align with.