USA / China: After Beijing, Washington seeks to anchor in the Pacific
One year after the signing of a security agreement between China and Solomon Islands, the United States has just signed a similar agreement with Papua New Guinea, a neighbouring island State. Washington and Beijing compete to establish their influence in the region.
On Monday, the United States signed a bilateral defence cooperation agreement with Papua New Guinea, giving US forces aaccess to the country's ports and airports, andmaritime routes to Australia and Japan. In return, the Pacific Island State will benefit from American surveillance satellites.
If the official objective is to increase regional stability, it will be noted that this agreement is signed about a year after the conclusion of a similar pact between China and Solomon Islands, located just a few blocks from Papua New Guinea... A way for Washington to counter Beijing and strengthen its influence in the Indo-Pacific area. Knowing that in March, the Government of Solomon Islands also designated a Chinese company to pilot a major project ($170 million) to develop the capital's international port, Honiara.
However, the security agreement between the United States and Papua New Guinea does not prevent Port Moresby from entering into identical agreements with other countries, including China.
Australia has also recently reconsidered its national defence strategy, starting the most important reform since the Second World War, in the face of the threats felt around it.
China expressed its concern about the introduction of the « geopolitical games » in the South Pacific.
Source(s): The Echoes
Editor(s): F. SUNDAC | C. Bedouin