WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden will host leaders from Pacific island nations to counter China’s expanding influence in the region. The summit, involving 18 members of the Pacific Islands Forum, is set to take place on Monday and Tuesday, one year after the first meeting, which was also held in Washington.
During the summit, President Biden is expected to announce a more assertive US stance in the Pacific, which includes funding for infrastructure projects and strengthened maritime cooperation, particularly in the fight against illegal fishing.
The Pacific Islands Forum brings together nations and territories spread across the vast Pacific Ocean, ranging from Australia to smaller micro-states and archipelagos.
China’s Growing Influence in Pacific Islands
The absence of the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, closely aligned with Beijing, will be felt at the summit. China’s growing influence in the region has raised concerns, prompting the US to focus strategically on the Pacific.
One of the goals of the meeting is to renegotiate the “Compacts of Free Association” with the Marshall Islands before the current terms expire on Saturday. These agreements, also held with Micronesia and the Palau archipelago, allow the US to maintain a military presence on these islands while providing economic assistance and security guarantees.
The Marshall Islands is seeking a new agreement that considers the consequences of US nuclear testing in the region during the 1940s and ’50s.
The summit aims to address these geopolitical challenges while enticing Pacific leaders with an American football experience and announcing initiatives like the establishment of diplomatic ties with the Cook Islands and Niue. The US has also opened embassies in the Solomon Islands and Tonga, with plans to inaugurate one in Vanuatu early next year.
The United States will announce substantial infrastructure aid, including funding for secure undersea telecommunications cables. Furthermore, the White House intends to propose that Pacific island states join the “Quad,” a defense cooperation forum that includes the US, Australia, India, and Japan, focusing on maritime surveillance and combatting illegal fishing.
