China facing increased competition from US in Pacific as Washington hosts first island summit
- This week’s event in Washington is expected to conclude with a partnership declaration that will open the way to US$860 million investment in the region
- Beijing’s growing presence in the Pacific, including a Solomon Islands security pact, has alarmed Washington and its allies
The two-day summit with 14 Pacific island governments in Washington began on Wednesday, the first event of its kind, and is expected to conclude with a joint partnership declaration covering areas such as trade, security, and climate change.
Total investment under the partnership is expected to reach over US$860 million, according to The Washington Post.
Despite earlier claims that the Solomon Islands would not sign the declaration – Australia’s ABC News has previously reported that it had sent a note to other Pacific nations saying there was no consensus – Secretary of State Anthony Blinken suggested on Wednesday that all attendees were on board, saying the US and Pacific nations have “come together around a declaration of partnership”.
Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in China, said China would see the “threat” from increased US influence in the region as being on a “larger scale”.
“China will think even more that it faces a full-scale contest and competition from the US and its allies,” he said.