The US-China contestation carries on unabated and the protagonists continue to lure Pacific Island nations through sops and concessions. In recent past, the Solomon Islands has been in the crosshair after it signed a security deal with China in April 2022. It abandoned diplomatic recognition of Taipei in 2019 and established it with Beijing.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has snubbed the US and suspended port calls by foreign navy vessels to the country. A Solomon government statement, without naming any country, notes that the country has had "unfortunate experiences of foreign naval vessels entering the country's waters during the course of the year without diplomatic clearance granted". US Senator Marsha Blackburn, who met up with Sogavare, has stated that Solomon Islands decision to deny visit by US military vessels as “extremely concerning”. However, Prime Minister Sogavare has agreed to allow ships from Australia and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, the US led “Partners in the Blue Pacific” (PBP), a grouping of likeminded countries such as United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom has shaped up. The PBP Foreign Ministers meeting was held on 22 September, and Canada and Germany were welcomed. The Summit is scheduled 28-29 September 2022 in Washington where U.S. President Joe Biden will host the leaders of the Pacific island.

South Korea and France are expected to join the PBP. The South Korean Foreign Ministry has noted that “Nothing has been decided yet, but as South Korea seeks to be a global hub state, strengthening reciprocal cooperation with Pacific island countries is important. We are open to supporting such initiatives.” The French interest in the PBP is on account of its territory New Caledonia in the south Pacific. While India has an Observer status in the PBP,

According to Kurt Campbell, the White House Indo-Pacific coordinator of the PBP, “Much of the assistance in the Pacific is not as well coordinated as it could be. We have not learned as much about best practices. We're going to seek to do that as we go forward, building on the existing institutions and engagements of the Pacific.”

Kurt Campbell further notes that the US is satisfied with its diplomatic initiatives, business engagements, aid and assistance to the Pacific Islands. However, Washington is concerned about the challenges being posed to the international rules-based order by some countries and therefore “sovereignty, integrity of all states must be protected” and countries should be able to “conduct their affairs free from aggression or coercion,”  

The US has stepped up its politico-diplomatic engagements in the Pacific Ocean and there is a visible strategic component - “We've seen in the last several years a more ambitious China that seeks to develop footprints militarily and the like in the Indo-Pacific – that has caused some anxiety with partners like Australia and New Zealand."

A Chinese scholar has observed that the “PBP is another small clique that the US has drawn together to contain China” and has derided the US' Indo-Pacific Strategy. It has “failed to make major achievements as some countries - India, for example - have not given an active response, which is why the US has continued to push more small cliques, like AUKUS, QUAD and the PBP”.

The pro-China academic constituency in New Zealand too has joined the chorus and Dave Bromwich (Bromwich), former president of the New Zealand China Friendship Society (NZCFS) has stated that “China has a lot to offer to the Pacific Islands and much more than $60 million. We need to support that, collaborate and work together with China rather than try to keep China out of the Pacific, assuming that because it's our area, it belongs to us.” Furthermore, New Zealand should not get involved in any confrontation with China and it should “respect the Chinese ambition to create a harmonious global community.”

The US led PBP has a ‘good intent’ i.e. engagements with the Pacific Island states by building existing institutions particularly to help them overcome the challenges posed by climate change and the post COVID-19 recovery is laudable; however, the strategic intent cannot be overlooked. Likewise, the Chinese approach to engage Pacific Island states through ‘sops’ that has strong elements of strategic agendas is cause for concern.

Unlike the US’ and Chinese approach, the Indian engagements with the Pacific Island states is built around Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) that encompasses political, security, economic, and socio-cultural engagements. India supports a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific in which sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations is respected and disputes are resolved in peaceful manner.

Dr Vijay Sakhuja is Consultant Kalinga International Foundation, New Delhi.