China sees Pacific islands as 'equals', US sees a 'backyard', claims Beijing's former envoy

China's former ambassador to the United States claims Western countries are treating the South Pacific like their "backyard" in a throwback to the colonial era, while Beijing sees the small island nations as equals.

source https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/13/asia/china-former-us-ambassador-pacific-islands-cui-tiankai-intl-mic-hnk/index.html