Published: Less than 20 min ago
US President Joe Biden would have made the first US state visit to the Pacific nation of Papua New Guinea this week.
The intention was that a security pact would be concluded during the visit.
President Biden’s long-planned visit to the island nation’s capital, Port Moresby, was supposed to be about increased cooperation. The contacts between the two countries are important as the global importance of the Pacific Ocean increases. The US is interested in, among other things, military cooperation and gaining access to bases on the island.
According to a draft obtained by the media, the two countries would agree that US forces will have access to Papua New Guinea’s airports.
Monitoring of the maritime region is also included in the agreement, which is a direct measure to check China’s increasing influence in the region.
In return, the island nation would receive financial support.
The treaty was to be signed during Biden’s visit. But on Thursday, the US announced that Secretary of State Antony Blinken would replace Biden, who is returning home from a G7 meeting in Japan as the US faces an acute debt crisis.
Biden called Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape during the flight to Japan to apologize.
“The President underscored continued American commitment to a deepening partnership with Pacific Nations. He said Minister Blinken is representing him at a meeting in Port Moresby,” the White House announced.
The US extended an invitation to the island nation’s prime minister to participate in another summit in Washington DC later this year.