The U.S. State Department has informed Congress of its plans to increase its involvement with Pacific islands, which includes hiring more diplomatic personnel and increasing spending on U.S. embassies in the region. The department aims to hire 40 American and local staff over the next five years for new embassies in the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Kiribati. The estimated cost to construct and design each embassy is at least $10 million, with an additional $3.3 million per year for maintenance and operating expenses. The department emphasized the need to counter China’s growing presence in the region, as China has established diplomatic facilities in eight of the 12 Pacific island nations recognized by the United States. The United States plans to increase its diplomatic and development engagement in the Pacific islands and acknowledges the challenges of recruiting staff due to the unique demands of the locations. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently visiting Indonesia and plans to make an extended trip to the Pacific at the end of July.
The United States has focused on strengthening its engagement in the Pacific in response to Beijing’s security pact with the Solomon Islands, which raised concerns about China’s potential military presence on the strategically important island. Admiral John Aquilino, U.S. Indo-Pacific commander, stated that the security pact served as a wake-up call for the United States to increase its engagement and support for Pacific island nations. The United States has signed agreements with Papua New Guinea, Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia to solidify bilateral relations. However, there is concern about the renewal of the military contract with the Marshall Islands, as it could impact U.S. freedom of movement in the region. Cleo Paskal, an Indo-Pacific expert, warned that the failure to secure a deal with the Marshall Islands could impede trade routes and grant China control over the region. The Compact of Free Association, established in the 1980s, obligates the United States to provide economic aid to the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands in exchange for permission to operate defense bases there. Failure to secure a deal with the Marshall Islands could have significant implications for the free and open Indo-Pacific.