The Biden administration is plowing ahead with plans to re-open the U.S. embassy in the Solomon Islands in a bid to counter China's increasing assertiveness in the Pacific.
“We are seeing this bond weaken as the People’s Republic of China aggressively seeks to engage Solomon Islands’ political and business elites, utilizing a familiar pattern of extravagant promises, prospective costly infrastructure loans, and potentially dangerous debt levels,” the department said in a notice to Congress dated Dec. 23 that was obtained by The Associated Press.
“Before becomes strongly embedded in Solomon Islands, now is the opportunity to bolster Solomon Islands’ resilience and deepen cooperation on security, democratic governance, and a free and open economy,” it said. “The absence of an embassy has severely constrained our ability to engage with this strategically situated country with alacrity and precision.”Since the administration first announced its plan to re-open the U.S.
In July, the U.S. sent two senior officials — Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy — to the Solomons to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal and to highlight nearly century-long ties between the islands and the U.S. The fathers of both Sherman and Kennedy fought in the Solomons during the war.As it moves to enhance ties with the Solomon Islands, the U.S.
In late September, President Joe Biden convened a summit of Pacific Island leaders to unveil a new strategy for the region that included pressing issues like climate change, maritime security and protecting the area from overfishing.
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