The United States and Pacific island nations have unveiled a historic joint partnership declaration, vowing to strengthen ties amid growing concerns of China's role in the region.
The US managed to secure support from all 14 Pacific island states attending a two-day summit in Washington DC, despite an initial refusal from Solomon Islands.
"Pacific leaders welcome the United States's commitment to enhance its engagement, including by expanding its diplomatic presence, the ties between our peoples, and US development cooperation across the region," the declaration, released by the White House, said.
The 11-point, Declaration on US-Pacific Partnership, was intensely negotiated.
It had initially been described by some Pacific nations as "similar" to the trade and security deal China unsuccessfully pursued with 10 nations in May.
The declaration provides a framework for intensified US engagement in the Pacific, including commitments to tackling climate change, advancing economic growth, and bolstering Pacific regionalism.
The statement also acknowledged the importance of international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on freedom of navigation and overflight.
Solomon Islands last month put a moratorium on foreign navies making port calls, raising concerns in this area among the United States and its allies.
Since signing a deeply controversial security pact with Beijing earlier this year, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has repeatedly berated traditional partners including Australia and New Zealand, while drawing closer to China.
The country signalled it would not sign the declaration during the summit, saying it needed more time to reflect on the proposal and that it would have considered by its national parliament.
However, Mr Sogavare has now endorsed the declaration and was even photographed posing shoulder-to-shoulder with the US President.
US ploughs $1.25 billion into new Pacific strategy
Earlier, President Joe Biden's administration also announced a slew of new programs to substantially broaden the United States' presence in the Pacific.
The US has promised to expand police training, sign new defence pacts, boost investment in the region, ramp up development initiatives and plough more than $75 million into helping Pacific economies recover from the COVID pandemic.
The US will also move to extend full diplomatic recognition to New Zealand's two associated states in the Pacific — Cook Islands and Niue — in another sign it wants to expand its influence in the South Pacific.
The strategy promises to "elevate broader and deeper engagement with the Pacific Islands as a priority of US foreign policy" to help the region fight climate change and other pressing challenges.
It also explicitly links the US strategy to China's growing presence in the region, warning that "pressure and economic coercion by the People's Republic of China" risks "undermining the peace, prosperity, and security of the region, and by extension, of the United States".
The White House said the announcements amount to more than $US810 million ($1.25 billion) in expanded programs – although that figure includes $US600 million for fisheries assistance over a decade already pledged by Vice-President Kamala Harris at the Pacific Islands Forum earlier this year.
FBI agents heading to Pacific
The new US announcements cover a wide array of different programs and initiatives, both new and existing, although the funding packages offered are sometimes modest.
The US has confirmed it will expand the footprint of USAID in the region, opening a regional mission in Fiji's capital within 12 months and opening a new office in Papua New Guinea.
It has also chosen former Ambassador to Fiji Frankie Reed as its first-ever US Envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum.
There's also a strong focus on security cooperation.
The administration said it will provide extra funding to enhance US Coast Guard training in the Pacific, as well sending Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands to provide law-enforcement training.
Australia has long been Solomon Islands' main security partner, but China has recently made significant gains in the country, signing a contentious pact and beginning a police training program for local forces.
The US also said it was pursuing a defence logistics and supply agreement with Fiji, and will soon begin negotiating a defence cooperation agreement with Papua New Guinea.
Climate, education, investment and infrastructure initiatives
Anna Powles from Massey University said some of the new announcements showed how security cooperation was a "key pillar" of US engagement in the Pacific.
"This is reflected in the reference to an increased defence presence in the Pacific, negotiating a defence cooperation agreement with PNG, and the new [defence pact] with Fiji as well as law-enforcement training by the FBI," she said.
"The US strategy calls out China as a source of geopolitical pressure and economic coercion felt by PIF member states and makes a direct link between Chinese actions undermining peace and security in the region and the US's own security.
"Good intentions aside, this is the call to arms that is driving US engagement."
The United States has also announced a raft of climate, education, investment and infrastructure initiatives.
It will establish a new fellowship program for emerging Pacific leaders, send Peace Corp volunteers to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Tonga after a long absence, and develop a new agreement to encourage US private sector in key Pacific Island infrastructure projects.
In addition, it will plough another $US18 million into a major program to expand electrification through Papua New Guinea.
The Biden Administration has also promised more than $US130 million to help Pacific nations tackle climate challenges and leverage financing to help build resilience, predicting it could draw in $US400 million in private capital.
'A desire to move fast'
Tess Newton Cain from the Griffith Asia Institute's Pacific Hub said the initiatives demonstrated the strength of US intent in the region, but warned that the program could quickly falter if it didn't draw on local expertise and priorities.
"The Americans want to move with breakneck speed but the elephant in the room is the question of coordination and coherence across agencies," she said.
"There are a few references to this being demand led, but the overall tone is one of this being supply led. There's not enough understanding of what's already happening, and especially what is being developed through local leadership."
Dr Powles said the Biden Administration was intent on locking in its Pacific strategy and tackling its key priorities in the region ahead of approaching US House and Senate elections.
"There's clearly a desire to move fast and bed down commitments quickly. The tempo may slow down in the lead up to November midterm elections and afterwards," she said.
"But it is less clear how the US system will deliver the strategy; including building the infrastructure to do this, and that's where it could fall down.
"If you aren't building Pacific knowledge and expertise then you'll hit problems. It's that coordination piece which is missing in Washington."
