America keeps its promise to Pacific island nations

The US will formally sign new strategic treaties with the Pacific island nations of Palau and Micronesia early next week and hopes to do the same with the Marshall Islands in the coming weeks.

Ngoại trưởng Mỹ Antony Blinken chào đón Tổng thống Micronesia David Panuelo, Tổng thống Palau Surangel Whipps Jr và Tổng thống quần đảo Marshall David Kabua tại Bộ Ngoại giao Mỹ ở Washington D.C ngày 29/9/2022. (Nguồn: AFP)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomes Micronesian President David Panuelo (center), Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr (far left) and Marshall Islands President David Kabua at the US State Department in Washington DC on September 29, 2022. (Source: AFP)

US Special Presidential Envoy Joseph Yun shared the above information with Reuters on May 21, stating that the official signing ceremony of the strategic treaty with Palau will be attended by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. in Papua New Guinea on May 22, while the treaty with Micronesia will be signed on May 23 in the island nation itself.

Regarding the treaty with the Marshall Islands, Special Envoy Joseph Yun expressed "hope to sign an agreement with them in the coming weeks".

Joseph Yun initialed the pacts during a visit to Micronesia and Palau last week, part of a U.S. effort to bolster support among Pacific island nations and counter China’s growing influence in the region.

The US first reached so-called Compacts of Free Association (COFA) with the three island nations in the 1980s, under which Washington assumed responsibility for their defense and provided economic assistance while gaining exclusive access to vast strategic areas in the Pacific.

Earlier, the White House announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken will represent the US President at a meeting with Pacific Island Leaders (PIF) next week.

On May 18, US President Joe Biden spoke by phone from his plane with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape to explain the reason for canceling his visit to the island nation. He needed to return to Washington DC to meet with congressional leaders, thereby ensuring that Congress takes timely action to avoid the risk of default for the country.

The White House chief emphasized the US commitment to the partnership with the Pacific Islands and extended an invitation to Prime Minister Marape and Pacific Island leaders to Washington DC later this year to attend the 2nd US-PIF Summit.

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