US should be paying more attention to Pacific

China suffered a rare diplomatic setback when 10 Pacific Island nations deflected its offer of a sweeping trade and security deal. However, the rebuff won’t end China’s efforts to exert influence over these tiny and far-flung countries. The US needs to respond with equal resolve — or risk losing ground in a strategically vital region.
Though lightly populated, the Pacific Islands are critical to the security interests of the US and its allies. In particular, Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau — which are bound by so-called Compacts of Free Association that offer the US exclusive military access to their territory — serve as a “power-projection superhighway” linking US forces in Hawaii to forward positions in the theatre. Western planners assume China’s ultimate aim is to counter the US by gaining a military foothold itself in countries such as the Solomon Islands or Kiribati, from where it could extend the reach of its navy and threaten lines of communication to Australia and New Zealand.
Given the stakes, US engagement with the region has been mystifyingly inconsistent. Past pledges to deepen economic and security ties — dating back 30 years — have fizzled out after initial fanfare. Efforts by the previous US and Australian governments to improve relations were undercut by their skepticism about climate change — an existential issue for low-lying island nations.
US President Joe Biden’s administration sent a terrible signal by letting talks to renew economic assistance to the three Compact nations languish until very recently. The US only ranked fifth in direct aid to the region between 2009 and 2019, behind Australia, New Zealand, China and Japan.
By contrast, China has provided not just aid but extensive trade opportunities: According to one estimate, it absorbed more than half the timber, seafood and minerals exported from the region in 2019. Chinese companies have built
lavish infrastructure projects throughout the islands. Chinese diplomats are more visible than their American counterparts, while top Chinese leaders
have cultivated Pacific elites
assiduously.
In a sign of how China can exploit such ties to make strategic inroads, the country recently reached a security deal signed with the Solomon Islands that could open the door to Chinese naval visits.
To head off further Chinese expansion, the US will need to demonstrate that it understands the region’s long-term priorities and can meet them better than China can. The first step must be to swiftly conclude negotiations over assistance to the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau.
In addition to education grants and eligibility for certain federal programs, the US may face demands for more extensive compensation for survivors of US nuclear tests, as well as greater environmental remediation. It’s a price worth paying. Leaving aside America’s moral obligations, these are small investments to make given the islands’ military value.
Just as importantly, the US needs to work with partners such as Australia and Japan to develop a comprehensive strategy for the region as a whole.

—Bloomberg