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US invites 12 Pacific Island countries including Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands signs a security deal with China, raises concerns in Washington
A new US effort to stop China’s rapidly growing influence in the Pacific
Washington, The US has decided to hold a summit of leaders of these countries in Washington later this month to end China’s rapidly growing influence in Pacific island countries. The White House said President Joe Biden will host a September 28-29 meeting of the leaders of the Pacific island nations in Washington. This is a new attempt by the US to stop the rapidly growing influence of China in the Pacific region.
According to a report by Reuters news agency, the White House said the summit will focus on climate change, pandemic response, economic recovery, maritime security, environmental protection and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific with Pacific island nations . Advance efforts to broaden and deepen US cooperation on such key issues. A Joe Biden administration official told that the White House has invited 12 countries of the Pacific, including the Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands signed a security deal with China in April, raising Washington’s concerns about Beijing’s growing influence.
The Solomon Islands changed its stance on Taiwan in 2019. It has since become the focus of growing competition between China and the US in the strategically important region. The US has invited Micronesia, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, along with the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau and Tuvalu. Taiwan counts among its 14 diplomatic allies.
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However, the White House has not disclosed which countries are expected to attend the summit. US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman visited the region in August. During that visit, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogaware did not attend the World War II commemoration program. During the tenure of Joe Biden, the US has increased engagement with the countries of the Pacific Islands. The US has also announced plans to open embassies in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Tonga.
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tags: america
First published: September 03, 2022, 09:47 IST
