By Chen Hong
陈弘
Just when the US and the West are continuing to incite and hype the crisis of the Russian-Ukrainian military confrontation, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled hastily to Australia on February 7. During his seven-day Asia-Pacific visit, Blinken would hold a series of high-level talks in Australia, Fiji and Hawaii. In addition to meeting with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and convening the foreign ministers' meeting among the US, Japan, Australia and India, and the foreign ministers' meeting among the US, Japan and South Korea, the highlight of Blinken's trip is to meet with leaders of 18 island countries in Fiji. Blinken said before the trip that he hoped the Pacific island countries would join the US to "raise our ambition in the region" .
就在美西方不断煽动和炒作俄乌军事对峙危机的当口，美国国务卿布林肯却匆匆忙忙地于7日启程赶赴澳大利亚。在为期7天的亚太访问中，布林肯将在澳大利亚、斐济、夏威夷举行一系列高级别会谈。除了会见澳大利亚总理莫里森，召集举行美日澳印外长会谈和美日韩外长会谈外，布林肯此行的一场重头戏，是在斐济与太平洋地区18个岛国领导人进行会晤。布林肯在行前声称，希望太平洋岛国和美国一道，“提高我们在该地区的雄心”。
It is evident that the Pacific has in fact become a priority in the US's global diplomacy and security strategy. The ultimate goal of this tactical operation is to hedge against China's peaceful development and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. According to a senior US government official, the Biden administration plans to launch a new Pacific Islands initiative with its allies and partners to strengthen linkages and cooperation with countries in the region.
显而易见的是，在美国的全球外交与安全战略中，太平洋地区事实上已是重中之重。而这一番战术操作的终极目标，就是对冲中国在亚太地区的和平发展与合作。据一位美国政府高官透露，拜登政府计划与其盟国和合作伙伴启动一项新的太平洋岛国倡议，希望与域内国家加强联动与合作。
Therefore, Blinken's visit to Fiji has a very distinct strategic goal. On the one hand, Blinken keeps saying that he will help the island countries improve their goals on issues such as climate, ocean, and transportation. On the other hand, however, Blinken uses ideology to guide and plan the relationship between the US and the South Pacific island countries, requiring the island countries to find ways to further "our shared commitment to democracy, regional solidarity and prosperity" .
因此，布林肯此次对斐济的访问具有十分鲜明的战略目的。一方面，布林肯口口声声要“帮助岛国提高在气候、海洋和交通等问题上所定下的目标”，另一方面，却以意识形态来引领和规划美国与南太岛国的关系，要求岛国“促进我们对民主、区域团结和繁荣的共同承诺的方式”。
In recent years, the US has led Australia and other countries to move frequently in the Pacific region, focusing on strengthening the overall influence of the US and the West on the South Pacific island countries. Their goal is to crowd out, contain and suppress the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and other countries in the region in politics, economy, society, culture and education.
近年来，美国拉着澳大利亚等国在太平洋地区动作频频，着力加强美西方对南太岛国的全面影响力，企图排挤、遏制和打压中国同该地区各国在政治、经济、社会、文化、教育等领域的互利合作。
Since 2017, under the guidance of the US "Indo-Pacific Strategy" that targets China, Australia has launched its "Pacific Step-up” plan and began to re-intensify its economic assistance in the South Pacific region. At the same time, Australia has continued to smear China's economic aid for Pacific island countries, the Belt and Road Initiative joint construction projects and other economic cooperation, and has repeatedly obstructed and undermined the local infrastructure investment and construction activities by Chinese companies. Under pressure from the US, New Zealand has also formulated a corresponding plan “Pacific Reset ”.
2017年以来，在美国剑指中国的“印太战略”的引导下，澳大利亚推出其“太平洋进阶计划”，开始重新加大在南太地区的经济援助力度。与此同时，澳大利亚不断抹黑中国在太平洋岛国的经济援助计划、“一带一路”共建项目和其他经济合作，屡屡阻挠和破坏中国企业在当地的基础设施投资和建设活动。在来自美国的压力下，新西兰也制定了相应的“太平洋重启政策”。
The governments and people of the Pacific island countries welcome and appreciate the assistance and cooperation from China. The roads, ports, schools, hospitals, cultural venues and other facilities that China has assisted and invested in the island countries have directly improved the local economy and people's lives. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi presided over the first China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting via videolink in October last year, which achieved fruitful results.
太平洋岛国政府和民众欢迎并赞赏来自中国的援助和合作，中国在各岛国援助和投资兴建的公路、港口、学校、医院、文化场馆等设施，直接提升了当地经济水平，改善了人民的生活。去年10月，中国国务委员兼外长王毅通过视频方式主持了首次中国—太平洋岛国外长会，取得了丰硕的成果。
For the US and Australia and other countries, this is like bone in the throat. Against this background, politicians in Washington and Canberra see the Pacific island nations as a battleground against China. According to a senior US official, Blinken will also sign a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau during meetings with leaders of the three countries to advance US's military access. Moreover, under the inducement of the US, Palau has proposed that the US can establish a military base in Palau, and even send the US Coast Guard to Palau. Under the banner of democracy, the practice is to implement the reality of military hegemony. This is the essence of the US Pacific strategy.
对此，美澳等国自然如鲠在喉。在这一背景下，华盛顿和堪培拉的政客们将太平洋岛国视作同中国对抗的角力场。据一位美国政府高官透露，布林肯还将在同马绍尔群岛、密克罗尼西亚联邦和帕劳领导人会晤期间与该三国签署《自由联合协议》，以推进美国的军事准入。而且在美国的诱导下，帕劳方面已经提出美国可在帕劳建立军事基地，甚至可以在帕劳派驻美国海岸警卫队。打的是民主的旗号，行的是推行军事霸权之实，这正是美国太平洋战略的实质所在。
In January, the US Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs on the National Security Council Kurt Campbell claimed that the Pacific region could become a region for "strategic surprise". Is he implying that Washington may be promoting some kind of unexpected contingencies in the region? If Campbell really meant something, Blinken's trip to Fiji will become even more intriguing.
今年1月，美国国家安全委员会印太政策协调员坎贝尔声称，太平洋地区可能成为发生“战略意外”的地区，这是否在暗示华盛顿有可能将在该地区推动某种意想不到的突发事件？如果坎贝尔确实意有所指，那么布林肯的斐济之行就更加耐人寻味了。
(The author is the director of the Australian Studies Centre and executive director of the Asia Pacific Research Center at East China Normal University)
（作者是华东师范大学澳大利亚研究中心主任、亚太研究中心执行主任）
Editor's note: This article is originally published on huanqiu.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
