Foreign Minister Wang has spoken repeatedly about mutual respect, but that hasn't extended to reporters trying to cover the trip. Lice Monovo, who's been a journalist for 15 years, said she and her colleague were forcibly removed from a meeting room under the orders of the Chinese. 

"We protested loudly and then we were removed and it was a very intimidating and threatening experience. Then our government passes, which had been issued by the Department of Information and Fijian police force, were revoked," she said.

Monovo said her ABC colleague also had problems after trying to ask questions at the press conference. 

"He was restrained until I stood between them and told them to let go."

Political commentator Professor Malakai Koloamatangi said it was inappropriate for journalists to be removed.

"The public has a right to know what's going on and removal of media and so on from covering and projecting those discussions to the public is obviously inappropriate."

In Tonga on Tuesday, it was also tightly controlled and carefully orchestrated. 

"There's only a few media that have been advised and have approval to be here," said BroadCom Broadcasting reporter Marian Kupu.

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With the details of what China hopes to achieve in the Kingdom kept secret.

"There was no press release from the Prime Minister's Office or from the government," Kupu said.

China has secured multiple bilateral deals, but getting region-wide cooperation on police training, trade, fishing, and cyber security - outlined in China's leaked "common vision" plan - has been rejected for now. 

Not all the ten Pacific nations targeted want to sign up.

"But of course there are some concerns on some specific issues," said China's Ambassador to Fiji Qian Bo.

Wang said China's activity in the Pacific has been happening for years and urged people not to worry. He said: "Don't be too anxious and don't be too nervous."

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern referred to China's tour as a "routine diplomatic engagement". 

"What is happening right now is not new. Perhaps the pace has picked up and the engagement has picked up, but it is not new," Ardern said.

But researchers think very differently. Lowy Institute Pacific researcher Dr Jessica Collins said bilateral deals were not new, but attempts to push through a multilateral agreement are "extraordinary". 

She said China's eight nation tour, and it's relative geographical distance from the Pacific Islands region, represents a "sharp increase in engagement", particularly given the focus is on security. 

"The tour from China's Foreign Minister is unprecedented. We have never seen this before in the Pacific Islands region and Australia and New Zealand and the US are right to be concerned about it," said Dr Collins.

"China seems to be moving at speed and in a direction that is different from its traditional stance," added Prof Koloamatangi.

Moving at speed, and in the absence of any real counter moves from New Zealand.