U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the island kingdom of Tonga as Washington pushes to increase its influence in the Pacific to counter China’s growing clout in the region.
Blinken dedicated a new U.S. Embassy in Tonga, which opened two months ago, and commended the return of Peace Corps volunteers following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is Blinken’s third official tour the Pacific islands but only his first time to Tonga.
“President Biden is fully committed to working with Tonga, and with all Pacific Islands, to usher in an era of even closer collaboration to deliver on the issues that matter most to our people — rooted in mutual respect and mutual trust,” Blinken said during a news conference after meeting with Tongan officials. “This partnership is vital to making real a shared vision for the region and the broader Indo-Pacific – a region that’s open, that’s free, that’s connected, that’s prosperous, that’s secure, that is resilient.”
Blinken meets Prime Minister of Tonga
During the visit, Secretary Blinken held a meeting with Prime Minister Hu‘akavameiliku and Foreign Minister Fekitamoeloa Utoikamanu of Tonga.
The U.S. Department of State statement said that the two sides had “substantive and constructive discussions on key priorities in the bilateral relationship” as well as on a range of global and regional issues.
Proud to dedicate the new U.S. Embassy in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. It's a testament to our strong ties, the dedication of our people, and the unlimited potential of our relationship. pic.twitter.com/cE0Rze1MZV
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) July 26, 2023
Secretary Blinken highlighted recent bilateral advancements between the United States and Tonga, including the opening of the new U.S. Embassy in Nuku‘alofa. He outlined the commitments made by President Biden at last year’s historic Summit with Pacific Islands leaders to elevate diplomatic and development presence and engagement in the region.
Tongan Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku said that the Kingdom of Tonga and the United States enjoy a longstanding partnership and 50 years of diplomatic relations. He said that the establishment of the U.S. embassy and Blinken’s presence in the country “is a testament to the fact that our partnership is growing from strength to strength.” He mentioned that the U.S.-Tonga partnership has a strong defense component.
“Tonga has contributed significantly to international peace and security, particularly in support of the United States troops, firstly deploying soldiers to Iraq, and then, in 2010, Tonga deployed the first contingent of 55 soldiers to Afghanistan,” he said, adding that the defense relations go back to World War II when Tonga hosted U.S. military forces on the main island. At that time, Tonga became a major transit hub for Allied shipping lanes during the war.
Shared commitment to tackling climate crisis
One of the key components of the discussion was continued commitment to tackling the climate crisis. During the visit, Blinken highlighted the United States’ efforts to tackle the climate crisis in the Pacific, including expanding early warning systems and climate information services.
He said that at last year’s summit, the two countries issued the U.S.-Pacific Partnership Declaration to work together to address the greatest challenge of our time. “As part of that commitment, we announced over $810 million to support programs in the Pacific Islands like Tonga. That includes nearly half a billion dollars to manage the growing effects of the climate crisis – an immediate, existential challenge in the Pacific; a daily reality in Tonga” Secretary Blinken said.
Located in the South Pacific more than 1,000 miles from the northern tip of New Zealand, Tonga is home to just over 100,000 people. This island nation was the site of a massive volcanic eruption that created a tsunami, killed four people in Tonga, last year.
The trip comes after US President Joe Biden hosted a first-ever summit in Washington with Pacific island leaders last September. Biden looks forward to hosting Pacific Islands Forum leaders again in Washington this September.
The United States is intensifying its commitment to the South Pacific with two separate visits to the region at the same time by the Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. Blinken next travels to New Zealand, where he will meet with officials and watch the women’s World Cup soccer match between the U.S. and the Netherlands. He then travels to Australia, for meetings with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and their Australian counterparts.
The visits are aimed at countering China’s growing influence in the region. During a press conference in Tonga, Blinked called China’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific region an “increasingly problematic behavior”. He claimed China had been behind “some predatory economic activities and also investments that are done in a way that can actually undermine good governance and promote corruption”.
