The United States has made another effort against the Pacific island countries, this time to regain control of defense

This week, U.S. representatives from Palau and the Marshall Islands reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding in Los Angeles, paving the way for the U.S. to renew the Treaty of Freedom of Association with the two Pacific island nations.

Historically, the treaty gave the United States the status of responsibility for the defense of these countries. But in the context of the new reality, the United States seems to be shaping the Pacific island countries step by step into pawns in the game of great powers.

Paving the way for the renewal of the treaty

It is reported that U.S. Government Special Envoy Yin Rushang, Palau Finance Minister Kaleb Udu, and Marshall Islands Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Kitland Kabua attended the memorandum signing ceremony this week. The United States hopes that these memorandums will pave the way for the United States and the two Pacific island countries to renew the Treaty of Free Association as soon as possible. In addition, the United States wants to renew the Treaty of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia.

The history of the Treaty of Free Association dates back to World War II. In the 40s of the 20th century, Palau, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Northern Mariana Islands were placed under the United States trusteeship.

In the 60s of the 20th century, as calls for autonomy grew, Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia began negotiations with the United States on their future political status. In the 80s of the 20th century, the three parties signed the Treaty of Free Association with the United States.

According to the treaty, Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia became independent sovereign states, but still maintained a special relationship with the United States, that is, they enjoyed domestic and diplomatic autonomy, and security and defense were under the responsibility of the United States for a period of time. Therefore, the United States has a military base on the ground.

In addition, under the Treaty of Free Association, the United States will provide hundreds of millions of dollars in assistance to the three countries, as well as assistance in weather forecasting and natural disaster response, and citizens of these three countries will enjoy easy access to the United States. However, treaties between the United States and the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia expire this year, and the deadline for U.S. assistance to Palau is due in 2024.

Why the United States changed its position

In recent years, as the strategic center of gravity of the United States has shifted to great power competition, this "forgotten corner" has regained the attention of the United States. For example, last September, US President Joe Biden convened Pacific island leaders to Washington for their first summit and released documents such as the Pacific Islands Partnership Strategy for the first time.

At the same time, the renewal of the Treaty of Free Association has been a stone hanging in the hearts of all parties. However, the negotiations did not go smoothly, and a major sticking point was the outstanding historical legacy.

During World War II, Palau was occupied by the United States, and the Federated States of Micronesia was also occupied by the United States after World War II. Residents of these island nations have long complained that the United States has failed to provide adequate assistance and has not addressed the environmental and health problems left over from the nuclear tests conducted there by the United States in the fifties and sixties of the twentieth century. However, the US media said that in the past 20 years, the US position on related issues has not changed.

For now, America's position has changed as it continues to assert its desire to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.

In recent years, adhering to the principles of mutual respect, equal treatment, mutually beneficial cooperation and common development, China has promoted the sustained development of the comprehensive strategic partnership with the island countries, and built a closer community with a shared future between China and the Pacific island countries for the benefit of the people of both sides.

However, some Western public opinion has played up the so-called expansion of China's influence in the region, and US officials have also shown that they want to confront China in the region.

"The Biden administration believes that the renewal of the Treaty of Free Association will be key to maintaining U.S. power and undermining China's self-confidence in the Indo-Pacific," the Associated Press said. "This move could be about the balance of power in the region.

Yin Rushang also said that in the process of negotiations between the United States and Pacific island countries, "China is undoubtedly a factor."

It is reported that the United States hopes to maintain military capabilities on the ground by providing substantial assistance to the three Pacific island countries. There are reports that under the newly signed memorandum, the United States will inject $700 million into the Marshall Islands Trust Fund over the next four years.

Yin Rushang said that the scale of US aid will be far greater than before. He also said the U.S. side would focus on areas affected by nuclear tests, such as the Marshall Islands.

The outlook remains uncertain

The signing of memorandums of understanding this week between the United States and Palau and the Marshall Islands will pave the way for multiple U.S. federal agencies, including the General Post Office, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service, to advance cooperation with the two countries.

If ultimately renewed, the Treaty of Free Association is expected to guide U.S. relations and deepen cooperation with the three Pacific island nations for the next 20 years. In return, the United States is expected to maintain or even enhance "exclusive" military capabilities on the ground, even including the ability to use bases.

However, the eventual renewal of the Treaty of Free Association remains uncertain, as the decision to renew is subject to domestic review and ratification, and opposition has already rangled.

On the one hand, there is opposition in the Marshall Islands to the government's hasty signing of the memorandum. Former Marshall Islands President Hilda Hein believes there is a lack of consensus between the two sides on issues such as climate change.

Marshall Islands MP David Paul believes that several issues still need to be resolved before the memorandum is signed, including the United States agreeing to make an annual full adjustment of the funds provided in line with the inflation rate and giving the Marshall Islands greater autonomy in the use of funds.

One detail is that the Marshall Islands was originally scheduled to sign a memorandum of understanding with the United States on the same day as Palau (11th), but it was postponed to the next day due to the review of the draft memorandum by the Marshall Islands Negotiating Committee.

Kenneth Kedi, a spokesman for the Marshall Islands parliament, said the memorandum only established a preliminary framework and that "there are still many issues that need to be resolved" to hammer out the details.

On the other hand, in recent years, the U.S. government has increasingly demonstrated its preference for domestic priorities, especially after Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, showing a tendency to increase scrutiny of foreign aid.

Public opinion also noted that in the process of renewing the treaty, the Federated States of Micronesia was at odds with Palau and the Marshall Islands.

In addition, in recent years, the United States has turned its attention back to Pacific island countries, raising concerns that the United States is using it as a pawn in the great power game.

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Column editor-in-chief: Yang Liqun Text editor: Yang Liqun Title picture source: Xinhua News Agency Photo editor: Xu Jiamin

Source: Author: Lu Yifei