US vows ‘big dollar’ help for Pacific islands as it seeks to counter China’s influence

Joe Biden is hosting 12 leaders from the region at a White House summit designed to boost US influence in the region

Beijing has been expanding its presence in the Pacific and signed a controversial security deal with the Solomon Islands

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China’s ties to the Solomon Islands government have concerned the US and its allies in the region. Photo: AP

Published: 8:28pm, 28 Sep 2022

The United States will announce “big dollar” assistance to Pacific island nations when President Joe Biden hosts a first-of-its-kind summit with their leaders on Wednesday, a gathering Washington hopes will help counter China’s expanding influence in a new theatre of geopolitical competition.

Leaders from 12 Pacific island states are expected to take part in a two-day summit in Washington, with two more sending representatives, and Australia and New Zealand attending as observers.

White House Indo-Pacific coordinator Kurt Campbell said last week the summit would focus on addressing issues such as climate change and health and that Washington and its allies were focused on boosting maritime security and island states’ communications links with countries like Japan, Australia and India.

It will be the first time the United States has hosted so many leaders of a region it has considered it maritime backyard since World War Two, but into which China has been making steady advances. Some of the nations have complained about being caught in the middle of the superpowers’ battle for influence.

The leaders will be feted all around Washington, including at the State Department, the US Congress, Coast Guard headquarters, by business leaders and at the White House. On Wednesday, Washington also will unveil a detailed new strategy specifically for the Pacific, a senior Biden administration official said.

The official acknowledged that Washington had not paid the Pacific enough attention over the years and had been working closely with allied and partner countries “to add more resources, more capacity, more diplomatic engagement”.