China and Australia’s dueling Pacific tours make final stops

By GANTRY MEILANA and NICK PERRY
Associated Press

DILI, East Timor (AP) — The foreign ministers of Australia and China were both making their final stops Friday on what has become an island-hopping diplomatic duel in the South Pacific. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrived in Tonga where she met with Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku and other officials to talk about climate change and rebuilding efforts after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit in January. Also on the agenda was the contentious issue of regional security. Meanwhile, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Papua New Guinea with Prime Minister James Marape and other officials before flying Friday afternoon to East Timor to meet with leaders there.