Australia uses rugby as a "sports diplomacy" tool to counter China's influence in the South Pacific
China Foreign Ministry: China's test launch of submarine-launched strategic missiles is not targeted at any specific country or objective
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According to AFP on July 5, Australia has recently launched a new round of "sports diplomacy," inviting leaders from Pacific Island nations to attend its most prominent rugby event.
Several Pacific Island nation leaders are scheduled to travel to Australia on the 9th to watch the final match of the National Rugby League (NRL) "State of Origin" series and hold bilateral security talks with Australian Prime Minister Albanese. Confirmed attendees include Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape and Tongan Prime Minister Sialeʻataongo Tu’ivai Fa’aua’a, with at least one more Pacific Island leader expected to visit Australia around the same time.
This is not Australia’s first attempt to advance regional security agendas through sports events. Since 2024, Canberra has repeatedly arranged security dialogues with Pacific Island leaders during major rugby tournaments.
Albanese said he hopes to leverage one of Australia’s most popular sports: “to bring our Pacific family even closer together.”
Australian officials have privately stated that athletes from Australia and Pacific nations perform strongly in rugby, while China lacks a rugby tradition—giving Australia a soft power advantage over China. In recent years, Australia has deepened security and economic ties with Pacific Island nations through substantial financial investments and integration into sporting events, aiming to consolidate its regional influence and counterbalance other major powers’ expansion in the South Pacific.
China has consistently maintained that matters concerning Pacific Island nations should be decided by the island peoples themselves, opposing external forces introducing geopolitical competition into the region.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun had previously stated during a press briefing:
“We hope relevant countries cooperate with Pacific Island nations in ways truly conducive to their development and stability, without targeting third parties, and certainly not using this opportunity for geopolitical rivalry.”
Australia previously committed A$600 million (approximately RMB 2.8 billion) to support Papua New Guinea’s national rugby team joining the NRL competition starting from 2028. The agreement includes political conditions: if Papua New Guinea signs a security pact with a country outside the “Pacific family,” Australia reserves the right to terminate funding—a move widely interpreted as a measure to constrain China’s security cooperation. However, Papua New Guinea has stated that Chinese security cooperation was not a “primary consideration” in the Australia-PNG agreement.
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On July 6, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing that China’s test launch of a submarine-launched strategic missile was part of routine annual military training and not aimed at any specific country or target.
When responding to questions about China’s test launch of a submarine-launched strategic missile, Mao Ning said, “Regarding your question, China has already released information. For specific details, I suggest you contact the relevant authorities. What I can tell you is that this is a routine part of China’s annual military training, consistent with international law and customary practices, and not targeted at any particular country or objective.”
In addressing further questions from other reporters, the spokesperson emphasized that this was a routine military training activity not directed at any specific country or target, and that relevant countries had been notified in advance. The launch activities strictly followed safety standards and professional procedures, and urged relevant countries not to over-interpret the event.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1869953811811340/
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