Pacific leaders heading to Washington for summit with Joe Biden | RNZ News
US President Joe Biden will host leaders of Pacific Island nations in Washington later this month.
The summit will take place on September 28-29.
The White House said the summit will reflect the United States’ broadening and deepening cooperation on key issues such as climate change, pandemic response, economic recovery, maritime security, environmental protection, and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.
An administration official said the Biden Administration had invited 12 Pacific Islands countries, including Solomon Islands, which in April struck a security pact with China, heightening Washington’s concern about Beijing’s growing influence.
The Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji were invited, as well as the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, and Tuvalu, which Taiwan counts among its 14 diplomatic allies.
The US has not invited the Cook Islands, Niue, New Caledonia or French Polynesia.
READ FULL ARTICLE : Pacific leaders heading to Washington for summit with Joe Biden | RNZ News
