NZ welcomes new US Pacific strategy
WELLINGTON: Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta has welcomed a renewed United States push into the Pacific, through which it pledges to help fight climate change and ward off what it called China’s ‘‘pressure and economic coercion’’.
Pacific leaders have been meeting in Washington DC this week for a historic twoday USPacific Summit initiated by the superpower, which has acknowledged the region has not had the ‘‘attention it deserves’’.
The strategic announcements come at a time of heightened geopolitical tension with China seeking its own arrangements with Pacific nations.
The US has announced a ninepoint plan and strategy document and yesterday leaders of 14 Pacific island nations and the US put their names to a joint declaration.
US President Joe Biden reconfirmed about $NZ1.4 billion in projects and funding for the region, covering development assistance, climate change, combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and leadership training.
The bulk of funding — about $1 billion — is to increase payments as part of the US Pacific Tuna Treaty over the next decade, which allows US boats to fish in Pacific countries’ exclusive economic zones.
The payments and wider economic package still need to be approved by Congress.
The US also pledged to recognise the Cook Islands and Niue as sovereign states. While both countries were independent from New Zealand, the US had not established formal diplomatic relations with them.
Mr Biden also announced he would appoint a firstever US envoy to the regional Pacific Islands Forum and USAid would reestablish its mission in Suva, by next September.
The Pacific push was first outlined by VicePresident Kamala Harris at the Pacific Islands Forum in July, in an unprecedented move seen by experts as a clear ‘‘power play’’ aimed at its rival China.
The announcement followed concerns around the Solomon Islands and China security pact, and an ultimately unsuccessful push by Beijing to achieve a wider security and economic agreement in the Pacific.
Ms Mahuta said New Zealand was ‘‘strongly supportive of assistance which is responsive to partner needs’’.
‘‘We support increased US engagement with Niue and Cook Islands, and understand that diplomatic recognition will better enable closer engagement.
‘‘The US is a longstanding partner in the Pacific. We are pleased to see a lift in ambition in their engagement with our region, especially as we work collectively on core regional challenges, like climate change.’’
The Pacific Partnership Strategy, the first of its kind, noted ‘‘heightened geopolitical competition’’ in the region.
The joint declaration signed by the Pacific leaders and Mr Biden covered issues including climate change, economic development, security and addressing the legacy of wars in the region, including from nuclear testing and unexploded bombs.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was pleased the countries had agreed on a shared vision and roadmap.
University of Otago director of international studies Prof Robert Patman said it was ‘‘significant’’.
‘‘It is the first time in my memory that 14 leaders from one region have been entertained by the State Department, and with observers from New Zealand and Australia and the Pacific Islands Forum. It is quite a group and quite a statement of intent.’’
He said the US appeared to have taken on board the needs of Pacific island countries.
‘‘I think for many Pacific islands nations the escalation of USChina rivalry can only be seen as a good thing as it gives much more leverage than they’ve ever had before.’’ —