Apia, SAMOA — China’s foreign minister met with the leaders of Samoa on Saturday on the third stop of an island-hopping tour aimed at deepening China’s ties with Pacific nations.

The two sides signed an economic and technical cooperation agreement, a handover certificate for an arts and culture center and the Samoa–China Friendship Park, and an exchange of letters for a fingerprint laboratory for the police, a Samoa government news release said.

Australia and the United States are closely watching the 10-day trip by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, fearful that China could be laying the groundwork for an eventual military presence in the region that would extend its reach farther into the Pacific. China says its development of economic and security ties with Pacific nations doesn’t pose a threat to others.

Wang, who arrived from Kiribati on Friday night and left for Fiji on Saturday afternoon, met with Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and paid a courtesy call on head of state Tuimalealiifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II. His delegation included representatives of China’s Commerce Ministry and international development agency.

Fiame and Wang discussed climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and security issues, the Samoa release said. It described China as a key development partner for Samoa, providing infrastructure for health, education and government, human resource development, sports development and technical assistance in agriculture.

Local media were invited to witness the signing of a deal, but no questions were taken.

The release said that China would continue to provide infrastructural development support to various Samoan sectors and there would be a new framework for future projects "to be determined and mutually agreed".

"Samoa and the People's Republic of China will continue to pursue greater collaboration that will deliver on joint interests and commitments," the release said.

In a duel for influence, Australia's new Foreign Minister Penny Wong was in Fiji on Friday, seeking to woo island states after the Solomon Islands took Canberra by surprise last month by signing a wide-ranging security pact with China.

"We have expressed our concerns publicly about the security agreement," Wong told reporters in the capital of Suva.

"As do other Pacific islands, we think there are consequences. We think that it's important that the security of the region be determined by the region. And historically, that has been the case. And we think that is a good thing."