The Facts
The defense ministry of China announced Sunday that it is sending its hospital ship "Peace Ark" on a tour of the South Pacific, visiting five countries and providing free medical assistance to Chinese citizens and local residents.
China's 14.3K-ton hospital ship will visit Kiribati, Tonga, Vanuatu, East Timor, and the Solomon Islands. The mission, dubbed “Harmony Mission 2023," is seen as an attempt by Beijing to assert its influence in the region amid growing competition with Washington.
The Spin
Pro-China narrative
The Chinese hospital ship, Peace Ark, is Bejing's goodwill ambassador and symbol of soft power. Its Harmony Mission 2023 in the South Pacific seeks to persuade and attract islanders through culture, values, and diplomacy, aiming to win the hearts and minds of the people in the region, as well as enhance China's reputation in the international community.
Anti-China narrative
Much to the dismay of the United States and its allies in Australia and New Zealand, China is sending its military-run hospital ship on a goodwill trip to the South Pacific as competition grows for influence in a region long viewed as part of America's sphere of influence. The US should step up its game in the Pacific to compete with the PRC's projection of soft power.
