The Guardian-Biden seeks to win over Pacific leaders as Solomon Islands turns back on talks
September 25, 2023 3 min 607 words
这篇报道涉及到美国总统乔·拜登将在白宫会见太平洋国家领导人的议题，同时强调了美国在该地区加强存在的努力以及中国在该地区崭露头角的问题。首先，值得注意的是，美国试图与太平洋国家加强合作，提供基础设施资金和更多的海上合作，以及在库克群岛和纽埃设立新的大使馆，这是积极的举措，旨在巩固美国与该地区的伙伴关系。 然而，报道也提到了一些阻碍，其中最显著的是所罗门群岛总理曼纳塞·索加瓦雷因亲近中国而拒绝出席这次峰会。这反映出中国在太平洋地区的日益增强的影响力，以及美国在与中国在该地区的竞争中所面临的挑战。这种竞争不仅涉及经济援助和基础设施建设，还包括气候变化和海上安全等重要问题。 报道还提到了美国对太平洋岛国的承诺，包括在2022年的峰会上承诺提供超过8亿美元的援助。这显示了美国在应对气候变化和海上安全等关键问题上的积极作用。然而，这些岛国领导人也希望看到更多的实际行动，而不仅仅是承诺。 总的来说，这篇报道突出了太平洋地区成为美中地缘政治竞争的焦点，并突显了美国在该地区加强存在的努力。然而，对于太平洋国家来说，最重要的是确保这些努力会转化为实际的支持，特别是在气候变化等关键问题上。这个峰会将为美国和太平洋国家之间的合作提供一个机会，但关键在于行动是否能够跟上承诺。
President Joe Biden will host Pacific leaders at the White House this week as the US seeks to bolster its engagement with the nations amid growing concern about China’s presence in the region.
The US is expected to offer funding for infrastructure and more maritime cooperation, and new embassies for Cook Islands and Nuie. But the talks have already suffered a setback as Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare, now closely aligned with Beijing, will not attend.
“We’re disappointed that he’s chosen not to come to this very special summit,” a White House official said.
Leaders from the 18-member Pacific Island Forum are expected to push for more support for climate change among other matters at the talks, to be held at the White House on Monday and Tuesday.
Biden hosted a first summit with 14 Pacific island nations a year ago at which his administration promised to work harder with allies and partners to address their needs.
There is “no question that there is some role that the PRC [China] has played in all this …. its assertiveness and influence, including in this region, has been a factor that requires us to sustain our strategic focus,” AFP reported, citing a senior White House official on condition of anonymity.
Dr Meg Keen, director of the Pacific Islands program at the Lowy Institute, described the summit as “historic” and comes after Biden pulled out of a visit to Papua New Guinea earlier this year to focus on debt ceiling negotiations.
“Given there has been a long absence the US has been working quite quickly to make up lost ground,” Keen said.
“They have got back into the region. The region is waiting to see if the big commitments are going to be delivered.”
During the 2022 summit the US announced more than $800m in assistance to island states. The White House said in a statement the summit will reaffirm the US commitment to shared regional priorities and cooperation on key issues including climate change and maritime security.
Tonga prime minister Siaosi Sovaleni told reporters the upcoming meeting was “an opportunity for us to share our concerns.”
In a high-level meeting in New York last week ahead of the summit, Sovaleni said Tonga’s top priorities were climate change and oceans, and that he would seek new investors to support these challenges.
“The urgency for change is evident,” Sovaleni said.
Sovaleni is expected to discuss how the US can support better access to climate finance and improved oceans security and management.
The Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Henry Puna told an event in New York last week that he hoped the summit would bring concrete actions on issues including climate change.
Puna said the Pacific island region had gone from a period of strategic neglect just a decade ago to become a subject of strategic interest, competition and “manipulation” today – a reference to the geopolitical rivalry for influence in the region between the US and China.
China signed a security pact with Solomon Islands last year, prompting concern in the US and Australia about Beijing’s ambitions in the region. At the same time, Washington has been stepping up its engagement with the Pacific, with new embassies and high-level visits. Earlier this year the US reopened its embassy in Solomon Islands after a 30-year absence. It also opened an embassy in Tonga and plans one for Vanuatu.
Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report