The United States is trying to woo Pacific island nations through an "unprecedented" diplomatic effort. From the 28th to the 29th local time, 14 leaders and representatives of Pacific island countries were invited to Washington to participate in the first summit between the United States and Pacific island countries. The US Secretary of State, the Secretary of Commerce and other officials attended, and US President Biden delivered a speech on the 29th and hosted a banquet for the participants. Washington is not only coming up with "battles," but also dollars. On the same day, the White House announced that the United States plans to provide $810 million in new aid to Pacific island countries, at the same time as unveiling a "Pacific Strategy". The analysis believes that the United States is suddenly so "enthusiastic" because China's cooperation with Pacific island countries such as the Solomon Islands has made the United States feel that it has been "caught off guard." Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times reporter on the 29th that the United States is vigilant everywhere and encircles China, which will only create disputes and chaos, making it more difficult for Pacific island countries to independently choose their own development paths and achieve their own prosperity.
On the 28th, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken greeted the participants at the working luncheon. (AFP)
Red carpet and dollars
Britain's Reuters said it was the first time the United States had invited so many leaders from the South Pacific to a summit. The United States has viewed the region as a "backyard" since World War II, but in recent years China's influence in the region has expanded. The Washington Post said that while leaders of other Asia-Pacific nations have been to the White House, many Pacific island leaders have never had such an opportunity before. The Biden administration used the opportunity for world leaders to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York to invite them to Washington, D.C., a summit that was "symbolic."
"To counter China's growing influence in the Pacific, Washington has prepared the red carpet and dollars for Pacific island leaders." Deutsche Welle reported that from senior officials such as Commerce Secretary Raimondo and U.S. President Climate Envoy John Kerry, to House Speaker Pelosi, to Coast Guard Commander and National Security Adviser, the United States has launched an "unprecedented" diplomatic effort to counter China's growing influence in the Pacific.
On the 28th local time, US Secretary of State Blinken presided over the opening of the summit at the State Department. The Guardian reported that Blinken held a document saying that the parties had reached a consensus on the "Declaration of Partnership between the United States and the Pacific Region", which would provide a blueprint for future cooperation. "You can count on the United States to work with you." He told world leaders so, making cryptic references to China's growing self-confidence in the region and across Asia, while pledging $4.8 million to strengthen the "blue economy," the cleaner oceans and more sustainable fisheries in the Pacific.
According to Voice of America, the final wording of the 11-point joint statement was still being finalized as Blinken spoke. Before the meeting, a leaked diplomatic note cast a shadow over the summit — documents showing that the Solomon Islands rejected the draft joint statement and that Micronesia leaders expressed grave concern about the level of financial aid provided by the United States.
On the 29th, Biden personally presided over the agenda of the second day of the summit and hosted a dinner at the White House to entertain the participants. Agence France-Presse reported that the White House announced the US "Pacific Strategy" on the same day, which is a supplement to the previously announced "Indo-Pacific Strategy". At the same time, the United States announced that it would provide $810 million in new aid to Pacific island countries. Of those, $600 million will be used in the form of a 10-year package to support economic development such as its fisheries.
Contains a lot of information about geopolitics
A senior official of the Biden administration told the US media reporter unabashedly on the 28th that the contact with the Pacific island countries is to "strengthen our game" in the Indo-Pacific region. According to the Washington Post, the 16-page Pacific Strategy mentions China, inverting black and white claims that "pressure and economic coercion" from China threatens to undermine regional peace, prosperity and security. The Biden administration's overarching strategic goals include increasing the number of U.S. diplomatic missions in Pacific island nations from six to nine, increasing the U.S. Coast Guard and Pentagon presence in the region, the newspaper said.
Hong Kong's South China Morning Post said the two-day summit is expected to contain a wealth of geopolitical information. Washington's top priorities include ensuring that more countries don't tilt toward Beijing as the Solomon Islands and Kiribati does, ensuring that submarine internet cables do not use Chinese technology, and tightening surveillance of large areas of the sea to contain China's "military presence." New Zealand radio station quoted sources as saying on the 29th that the White House is working with the private sector to reach an agreement on submarine cables in the region, and said that this is a response to "China's diplomatic and military expansion".
The Times of India said that the Sino-governmental security cooperation framework agreement signed between China and the Solomon Islands was used by Washington as a wake-up call, believing that it had been caught off guard in the region. The Voice of America said the United States and Australia were concerned that Beijing would establish a military presence in the Solomon Islands, less than 2,000 kilometers from Australia. Regarding the agreement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has made it clear that China and China will cooperate in the fields of maintaining social order, protecting people's lives and property, humanitarian assistance, and responding to natural disasters, and the security cooperation between China and China will be open, transparent, open and inclusive, and will not target any third party.
Gregory Pauling, co-director of the Pacific Partnership at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, an American think tank, told The Washington Post that the United States would not have paid so much attention to Pacific island nations if it had not been for the fear that its influence would lose to China. But the U.S. doesn't have much money to invest in Pacific island countries than the aid it uses to help Ukraine fight Russia.
"It felt very insincere"
"Decades later, now you (the United States) are just starting to care about (Pacific Island countries) because you are worried about China?" It really felt very insincere. Angela Robin, an assistant professor of climate change and Pacific indigenous studies at the University of Utah in the United States, told the South China Morning Post that many Pacific island people are tired of getting together to discuss but can't see real change. The United States needs to prove itself by stepping up its fight against climate change, which concerns the survival of many low-lying islands. "That's what makes China smart, it knows it's a real concern."
Pacific island nations are eager to strengthen ties with each other and with allies, but they have repeatedly stressed that Washington should embrace their priorities and make climate change, not competition between superpowers, the most pressing security task, Reuters said. Some countries complain that they are caught up in this competition for influence. New Zealand's Stuff website reports that Pacific island nations want their own strategy, not for the White House to develop a plan for the region.
Another concern not unique to Pacific island nations is whether the United States will return to the Trump administration's "America First" policy after 2024. Last week, Campbell, coordinator of Indo-Pacific affairs at the White House National Security Council, said, "Our system does not allow us to make a fundamental commitment to the next administration." ”
Source: World Wide Web