Considering the increasing influence of China in many developing countries, US President Joe Biden called the summit of Pacific nations leaders in Washington this week. The primary aim of the Summit of Pacific Leaders has been reported to counter China’s growing influence in the region. Elaborating about the football games to establishing new embassies in the region were under discussion at the table of the summit.
The summit of the 18-member Pacific Island Forum would be the second meeting of the forum in the USA, following the previous year’s meeting that also took place in Washington.
Undoubtedly, Biden is on the verge end of his presidency tenure, and he would endeavour to fill his bag full of achievements for his upcoming presidential campaign, for he has shown his intention in many places. US President Joe Biden would present his foreign policy achievements and the strong USA narrative placed around the globe about which he would take credit.
For countering the increasing influence of China, it would help the USA to bring together states and territories scattered arias of the Pacific Ocean, from highly populated countries to sparsely populated micro-states and archipelagos. And the forum has successfully taken its weight behind the USA.
Biden is on the verge end of his presidency tenure, and he would endeavor to fill his bag full of achievements for his upcoming presidential campaign.
After perceiving the growing influence of China in the Pacific region, the South Pacific has increasingly gained its attention for competition with the USA. As it has been relatively considered a backwater in the past. But now after rivalry between two big economies: the USA and China, it has come up with its great importance.
With his new strategy, Biden said the US officially recognized the Pacific nations of Cook Island and Niue at the summit. The announcement was heard at the start of the summit with the 18-member Pacific Island Forum. Cook Island and Nieu together have fewer than 20,000 population. However, they consist of a widespread economic zone in the South Pacific.
With his ostensible statement, Biden said the deals to recognize the two nations would assist in curbing illegal fishing, dealing with climate change in vulnerable regions, and boosting economic growth. But the history of the USA’s establishing ties with less developed nations suggests otherwise, it witnessed the exploitation and personal gain.
However, China’s assertiveness and influence were not low and it had been witnessed at the summit with the absence of the Prime Minister of Solomon Island. The PM of Solomon Island Manasseh Sogavare did not show his explicit disinterest in staying in the USA while attending the UN General Assembly’s 78 sessions in New York. Manasseh Sogavare is considered a close ally of Beijing.
Indeed, such developments across the globe particularly recognizing the less populated countries by the big economic countries are not disappointed or wrong. Such a progressive attitude should be complimented and it should have been taken in the past. These strategies of recognizing less developed and sparsely populated countries and boosting them up in the development arena should be placed in foreign policy catalogues. However, the competition should not be directed towards the violation or deterioration of the countries.
Meg Keen, director of Pacific Island Programmes at Australia’s Lowy Institute, stated that the USA had opened new embassies and USAID offices in the region since last year’s summit. But Congress has still yet to approve the funds. Moreover, she said that Pacific Island countries should welcome the US reengagement with the region but they do not want geopolitical tussle to result in an escalation of militarization.
By wrapping up, such progressive developments should be appreciated and the USA should also consider other less populated countries than the Pacific island for boosting their confidence and stability beyond the lens of countering any country’s influence. however, competition should be persuaded, but it should not take place by trembling the basic principles of competition and laws of the countries. The less developed and populated countries need stabilization not deterioration.
The writer is a freelance columnist and can be reached at [email protected]