Advertisement
US ‘back in force’ in Pacific as Biden hosts regional leaders at summit, vows to reopen embassies following China’s diplomatic push
- The White House is hosting Pacific island leaders on Monday as Biden promises to take US engagement in region to ‘next level’
- But there are notable absences from the meeting, including the Solomon Islands, which signed a security deal with China last year
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
70
Khushboo Razdanin New York
When the White House hosts Pacific island leaders on Monday, exactly a year after their first-ever US-led summit in September 2022, President Joe Biden will follow up on his commitment to raise American engagement in the region to the “next level”, according to senior administration officials.
Advertisement
“You will see, over the course of a few days, our commitment to reopen embassies,” said one official. “USAID is back in force in the Pacific. The Peace Corps has arrived in many of the islands that they’ve served with in previous periods.”
A number of philanthropic and business groups were also interested in deeply engaging with the Pacific, the official added.
Acknowledging that China had “some role” to play in “all this”, another administration official said there was “no question that its assertiveness and influence, including in this region, has been a factor that requires us to sustain our strategic focus”.
Moreover, US national interests are tied to a “free, open, vibrant and dynamic Pacific region”, the official added.
Advertisement
Advertisement