The United States can't sit still, and the imprint of China can be seen everywhere. Leaders | island countries | the United States
According to the website of The Wall Street Journal on July 26th, last year, the Hunga Tonga Hunga Apai volcano erupted, causing devastating damage to the island nation of Tonga in the South Pacific. The United States quickly provided much-needed humanitarian aid to the area. China has also done the same.
After the disaster, the United States Agency for International Development provided $2.6 million in humanitarian aid to support the people of Tonga, which US officials said reflects Washington's commitment to this strategically important Pacific island nation.
It is reported that on the 26th, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken became the first member of the US cabinet to visit Tonga. He attended the opening ceremony of the new US embassy in Tonga and held talks with Tonga leaders.
The report claims that the United States is seeking to strengthen its contacts with Pacific countries to counter China's growing influence.However, some Pacific leaders believe that the Biden administration is catching up, as the United States has not been actively involved in Pacific affairs for many years, which has increased China's influence in the region.
The report states that the United States has an increasingly strong sense of urgency, realizing the need to establish a closer alliance as soon as possible, especially after China reached a security agreement with the Solomon Islands last year. The Solomon Islands are not far from Tonga.
On the main island of Tonga, the presence of China is ubiquitous, with many storefronts and commercial vehicles bearing Chinese logos. The main government building where Antony Blinken held a press conference with Prime Minister Tonga on the 26th was built with the help of China.
On February 19, 2022, a Chinese naval fleet carrying disaster relief supplies to Tonga unloaded a mobile cabin at the Port of Nukualofa.
According to reports, Antony Blinken said: "We are not opposed to the investment or participation of any other country, including China. If the investment and participation are carried out in a productive way, if it can really meet the needs of the Tongan people... that is a good thing."
According to reports, last year, the Biden administration invited leaders from more than ten island countries in the Pacific region to Washington for a two-day summit to emphasize the United States' commitment to the region. The region is currently at the forefront of competition between the United States and China. Although many of these islands are small in size and population, they are located in vast waters that are strategically important for commercial shipping, fishing, and safety.
A senior US State Department official denied that the opening of a new US embassy in Tonga was to counter China's influence, but acknowledged that competition in the Pacific region is a persistent reality.