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Bloomberg
President Joe Biden is seeking to mend ties with Pacific Island nations following years of neglect at a first-ever White House summit, as the US and its allies worry that the strategically important countries risk drifting into China’s orbit.
At an unprecedented two-day event starting on Wednesday, the administration plans to announce a series of initiatives and a new Pacific strategy that senior officials say focuses on key challenges confronting leaders caught in a struggle for regional influence between Washington and Beijing.
Yet it’s unclear if Biden will get everything he wants. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported Wednesday that the Solomon Islands, which shocked the US and Australia by inking a security agreement with China earlier this year, had balked at signing a joint declaration the administration prepared for the 11 nations participating in Thursday’s summit.
A senior administration official said discussions to produce a joint statement had been productive, but pointed out that conversations were ongoing. Announcements at the summit would include new financing for development assistance, help for poor Pacific Island nations to guard against climate change.