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Biden to host first US-Pacific island summit as China's clout grows
The two-day summit from Sept. 28 in Washington will reflect "deepening cooperation on key issues such as climate change, pandemic response, economic recovery, maritime security, environmental protection, and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
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New framework: United States President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida listen to leaders of countries virtually attending the launch of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) in Tokyo on May 23. (Reuters)
P
resident Joe Biden will host a first-ever summit with leaders of Pacific island nations in late September, the White House said Friday, signaling US interest in the region where China is seeking to expand its influence.
The two-day summit from Sept. 28 in Washington will reflect "deepening cooperation on key issues such as climate change, pandemic response, economic recovery, maritime security, environmental protection, and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific," Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The United States has been stepping up efforts to engage with the Pacific island nations, apparently due to alarm over Beijing's recent moves to bolster its influence such as the signing of a security pact with the Solomon Islands in April.
The Solomon Islands, located northeast of Australia, switched its diplomatic ties from self-ruled Taiwan to Beijing in 2019. The security pact has raised concerns that certain provisions may lead to a Chinese military presence in the island nation.
Concerns have already been increasing over China's growing assertiveness in the broader Indo-Pacific region, with Beijing militarizing outposts in disputed areas of the South China Sea and carrying out repeated incursions into waters around the Senkaku Islands, a group of East China Sea islets controlled by Tokyo but claimed by Beijing.
In July, the Biden administration announced a set of actions to enhance the US-Pacific islands partnership, including plans to open new embassies and secure $60 million per year for the next 10 years -- nearly triple the current levels -- for the region's economic development.
The White House has invited 12 Pacific island countries to the summit, including the Solomon Islands, Reuters reported, citing an administration official.
The Solomon Islands was recently in the spotlight for not responding to a refueling request by a US Coast Guard vessel in August.
The US government expressed disappointment over the incident at the time, with an official saying it was a "routine logistics port call" that had been scheduled.
The cutter Oliver Henry was in the region as part of an operation aimed at supporting regional partners, protecting their national interests and combating illegal fishing, according to the State Department.
