China fails to persuade Pacific island nations to sign security pact

China has failed to persuade Pacific island countries to sign an agreement covering a wide spectrum of issues from trade, security and police cooperation to fisheries, Australian media reported Monday, while Beijing has been stepping up efforts to boost its influence in the region.Foreign ministers from China and 10 Pacific island nations, including Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Samoa, held a meeting in Fiji on the same day, but they did not sign such a far-reaching deal as some countries expressed concern about the move, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp.Fijian Prime Minister Fra…READ FULL ARTICLE