New Zealand Minister of Defence Peeni Henare said on Saturday that Pacific island nations have the freedom to make their own decisions about cooperation with China, as Beijing seeks closer military ties with the strategically important region.
China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands in April, alarming the United States, Australia and New Zealand, who fear a stepped-up military presence by Beijing.
"Our job is to support them, to make sure they make strong decisions for themselves," Henare told Reuters on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's top defence meeting.Henare said he met with Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe at a security summit in Singapore this week, where he reiterated the importance of the Pacific islands maintaining their independence.
The Solomon Islands and Fiji sent delegations to the summit and were scheduled to speak at sessions over the weekend.
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