08/01/2024 Newsletter

Happenings in Congress

• On July 30, 2024, 12 Members of the Pacific Islands Caucus sent a letter to U.S. Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn advocating for the Peace Corps’ expansion in the Pacific. The letter noted that the Freely Associated States currently have no Peace Corps presence and urged the Peace Corps to work to change that.
• During the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit, a bipartisan group of Senators led by Senators Schatz and Schmitt sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken to take steps to rectify Hawaii's exclusion from the North Atlantic Treaty. Representative Ed Case also sent a letter to Secretary Blinken about the issue in May and received a response on July 15. The Department of State confirmed that while any attack on the U.S. or its territories, even if outside the geographic scope of Article 5, would almost certainly draw Allied reaction, Article 6 does indeed exclude U.S. Pacific territory and that any amendment to the Treaty to change that would be unlikely to gain agreement by consensus.
• The Senate Appropriations Committee has marked up 11 of its 12 Fiscal Year 2025 bills, including the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs bill which includes report language to expand educational and cultural exchange with and diplomatic presence in Pacific Island countries (PICs). It also included $1.9 billion for the Indo-Pacific Strategy and $160 million for assistance for the PICs.

In the News

• Pacific Island nations owe 'astronomical' debts to China. Can they repay? - Over the past 20 years, China has become largest lender in the Pacific, but aid and development experts say the debts carry large risks for Pacific Island nations.
• U.S. opens embassy in Vanuatu, latest step in China competition - The U.S. opened its long-awaited embassy in Vanuatu on July 18, building upon efforts to provide more diplomatic presence throughout the region. • Palau says China exerting 'new level' of pressure – Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. said pressure from China is reaching a "new level" after a tourism delegation was recently denied entry to Macao and as the Palau continues to investigate a suspicious cyber attack targeting customs and border functions.
• Tuvalu welcomes subsea cable but worries about possible China cyberattack - Tuvalu is concerned about the "forthcoming" pressure from China on cybersecurity as the nation looks to have a better internet connection with its first subsea cable in place next year.
• High-level U.S. delegation stresses Papua New Guinea commitment - A high-level U.S. civilian and military delegation visited Papua New Guinea in July to stress U.S. commitment to the nation and aimed to accelerate implementation of new projects linked to a Defense Cooperation Agreement signed last year.
• New Zealand and Solomon Islands sign revised air service agreement - The Air Services Agreement between Solomon Islands and New Zealand dates back 34 years and revising it will help modernize the Agreement to cater for new realities in the aviation industry and strengthen people-to-people contact and trade between citizens of the two countries
• Japan talks with Pacific Islands focus on climate as security issues take back seat - Japanese and Pacific Island leaders largely focused on climate change at their recent meeting even though Tokyo was keen to discuss security cooperation amid China’s growing military and economic influence in the region.
• Solomon Islands and China are strengthening ties in a worrying move for U.S. and its Pacific allies - Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing after a stop in coastal Fujian province in July.

Pacific Voices

• On our playlist this week: Hilo One/Hula o Makee by Maunalua
• On our watch list this week: Surfing's Olympic journey to Tahiti's breathtaking Teahupo'o wave
• On our reading list this week: Hyphen American by Tonga Victoria