United States–Pacific Island Country Summit

{{Short description|Summit hosted by the United States with 12 Pacific island country leaders}}

{{Infobox summit meeting

|name = US–Pacific Island Country Summit

|image = File:President Biden hosts the first US-Pacific Islands Country Summit at the White House.jpg

|date = September 28–29, 2022

|country = United States

|venues = White House

|cities = Washington, D.C.

|participants = {{collapsible list

|title = 15 countries

|titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal;

|{{Flag|French Polynesia}}

|{{Flag|Fiji}}

|{{Flag|Kiribati}}

|{{Flag|Marshall Islands}}

|{{Flag|Micronesia}}

|{{Flag|Nauru}}

|{{Flag|New Caledonia}}

|{{Flag|Palau}}

|{{Flag|Papua New Guinea}}

|{{Flag|Samoa}}

|{{Flag|Solomon Islands}}

|{{Flag|Tonga}}

|{{Flag|Tuvalu}}

|{{Flag|United States}} (hosts)

|{{Flag|Vanuatu}}

}}

The United States–Pacific Island Country Summit was a meeting hosted by President of the United States Joe Biden with Pacific Island leaders held on September 28–29, 2022 at the White House in Washington, D.C., which coincided with the week of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.{{cite web |date=August 6, 2022 |title=Biden to host Pacific summit in September with China in focus |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3187972/biden-host-white-house-pacific-island-summit |access-date=August 11, 2022 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en |archive-date=August 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810045538/https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3187972/biden-host-white-house-pacific-island-summit |url-status=live }}{{cite web |date=September 2, 2022 |title=Biden to host Pacific Island summit with wary eye on China |url=https://apnews.com/article/biden-australia-united-states-china-solomon-islands-e82488bd166b908356b9379b41063391 |access-date=September 4, 2022 |website=AP NEWS |language=en |archive-date=September 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903005838/https://apnews.com/article/biden-australia-united-states-china-solomon-islands-e82488bd166b908356b9379b41063391 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |date=September 3, 2022 |title=Biden to host Pacific Island summit amid power struggle with China |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3191200/biden-host-pacific-island-summit-amid-power-struggle-china |access-date=September 4, 2022 |website=South China Morning Post |language=en |archive-date=September 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904095118/https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3191200/biden-host-pacific-island-summit-amid-power-struggle-china |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=U.S. Pacific Islands Country Summit |url=https://www.state.gov/u-s-pacific-islands-country-summit/ |access-date=2022-09-28 |website=United States Department of State |language=en |archive-date=2022-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929120256/https://www.state.gov/u-s-pacific-islands-country-summit/ |url-status=live }}

Background

The summit was announced by Kurt Campbell on August 6, 2022, and confirmed by United States Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman who was at Tonga at the time.{{cite web |date=August 8, 2022 |title=Pacific leaders to meet Joe Biden in Washington |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/472439/pacific-leaders-to-meet-joe-biden-in-washington |access-date=August 11, 2022 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz |archive-date=August 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808045722/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/472439/pacific-leaders-to-meet-joe-biden-in-washington |url-status=live }} The United States which previously addressed the 51st Pacific Islands Forum in July 2022 announced that it will open a series of new diplomatic missions to counter China's growing presence in the Pacific region.{{cite web |last= |first= |date=August 9, 2022 |title=Biden set to meet Pacific leaders in Washington amid China tensions |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/129526241/biden-set-to-meet-pacific-leaders-in-washington-amid-china-tensions |access-date=August 11, 2022 |website=Stuff |language=en |archive-date=August 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810144316/https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/129526241/biden-set-to-meet-pacific-leaders-in-washington-amid-china-tensions |url-status=live }} On September 2, 2022, the White House released a statement confirming that the summit will be held from September 28 to 29, 2022.{{cite web |last= |first= |date=September 2, 2022 |title=Statement by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the First U.S.-Pacific Island Country Summit |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/02/statement-by-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-on-the-first-u-s-pacific-island-country-summit/ |access-date=September 4, 2022 |website=The White House |language=en-US |archive-date=September 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904082402/https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/02/statement-by-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-on-the-first-u-s-pacific-island-country-summit/ |url-status=live }}

Summit

=September 28, 2022=

The Pacific leaders endorsed the declaration of the United States–Pacific partnership that commits the United States and the Pacific Island countries to work together "in the face of a worsening climate crisis and an increasingly complex geopolitical environment".{{cite web |last=agencies |first=Guardian staff and |date= September 29, 2022|title=US strikes partnership deal with Pacific Island leaders at historic summit |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/29/us-pledges-to-boost-aid-and-diplomacy-in-pacific-as-historic-summit-begins |access-date=September 29, 2022 |website=the Guardian |language=en |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929050011/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/29/us-pledges-to-boost-aid-and-diplomacy-in-pacific-as-historic-summit-begins |url-status=live }} The partnership also includes the prospect of "big dollar" aid to the Pacific region which includes more than $860 million in expanded programs.{{cite news |last1=Brunnstrom |first1=David |last2=Alper |first2=Alexandra |last3=Martina |first3=Michael |date= |title=U.S. says it has agreed Pacific Islands partnership, offering 'big dollar' aid |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us-vows-big-dollar-help-pacific-islands-china-contest-2022-09-28/ |access-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-date=2022-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928093947/https://www.reuters.com/world/us-vows-big-dollar-help-pacific-islands-china-contest-2022-09-28/ |url-status=live }}

=September 29, 2022=

The summit participants released a declaration making 11 commitments{{cite web |last=House |first=The White |date=September 29, 2022 |title=Declaration on U.S.-Pacific Partnership |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/29/declaration-on-u-s-pacific-partnership/ |access-date=2022-09-30 |website=The White House |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-09-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930005249/https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/29/declaration-on-u-s-pacific-partnership/ |url-status=live }}

Resolution to strengthen partnership
Commitment to bolstering Pacific regionalism
Commitment to tackling the climate crisis
Commitment to enhancing cooperation to advance economic growth and sustainable development in the Pacific
Commitment to supporting each other in preparation and response to natural disasters
Resolution to protect the Blue Pacific and enhance the laws that govern it
Resolution to maintain peace and security across the Pacific continent
Commitment to continue cooperating in addressing COVID-19 and other health-related issues
Commitment to expanding opportunities for citizens of participating countries
Commitment to address legacies of conflict and promotion of nuclear nonproliferation
Commitment to future implementation of the partnership

Participants

The White House invited 12 Pacific island countries including Solomon Islands which previously signed a security agreement with China in April 2022.{{cite news |last= |date=September 3, 2022 |title=Biden to host Pacific Island leaders as China courts region |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-host-pacific-island-leaders-september-2022-09-02/ |access-date=September 4, 2022 |archive-date=September 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904082402/https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-host-pacific-island-leaders-september-2022-09-02/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last= |first= |title=Biden's U.S.-Pacific island summit targets China's growing influence |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/02/bidens-u-s-pacific-island-country-summit-targets-chinas-growing-influence-00054750 |access-date=September 4, 2022 |website=POLITICO |language=en |archive-date=September 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903131155/https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/02/bidens-u-s-pacific-island-country-summit-targets-chinas-growing-influence-00054750 |url-status=live }} Ten countries sent their leaders while Nauru and Vanuatu sent their representatives. The leaders of French Polynesia and New Caledonia also attended the event.{{cite web |date= September 29, 2022|title=Historic US-Pacific summit begins |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/475697/historic-us-pacific-summit-begins |access-date=September 29, 2022 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz |archive-date=September 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220929120253/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/475697/historic-us-pacific-summit-begins |url-status=live }}