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Ahead of a White House welcome for the leaders, Biden announced U.S. diplomatic recognition of two more Pacific islands nations, the Cook Islands and Niue. The White House said this year it would focus on priorities including climate change, economic growth, sustainable development, public health and countering illegal fishing. In Baltimore on Sunday, Pacific island leaders visited a Coast Guard cutter in the harbor and were briefed on combating illegal fishing by the Commandant of the Coast Guard, an official said. The White House in 2022 said the U.S. would invest more than $810 million in expanded programs to aid the Pacific islands. She added that Pacific island countries "welcome the U.S. re-engagement with the region, but don't want geopolitical tussles to result in an escalation of militarization."

Persons: Joe Biden, Walter E, Elizabeth Frantz, Biden, Manasseh Sogavare, Washington, Sogavare, Meg Keen, Sato Kilman, Kilman, Ishmael Kalsakau, David Brunnstrom, Trevor Hunnicutt, Kirsty Needham, Don Durfee, Grant McCool Organizations: Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Washington Convention Center, REUTERS, Rights, Pacific, NFL, White, U.S ., Niue, Sunday, Coast Guard, Sunday's National Football League, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Solomon, Biden, Australia's Lowy Institute, USAID, Vanuatu, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Washington, Cook Islands, Niue, The U.S, Papua New Guinea, U.S, Asia, Cook, Baltimore, Pacific, China, Beijing, Congress, Australia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Kiribati, Hawaii, Palau, Micronesia, Marshall, Sydney

During the three-day meeting, the U.S. will announce diplomatic recognition for two Pacific islands, promise new money for infrastructure, including to improve Internet connectivity via undersea cables, and honor regional leaders at an NFL game. SOME SKIP SUMMITSolomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who has deepened his country's ties with China, will skip the summit. The White House in 2022 said the U.S. would invest more than $810 million in expanded programs to aid the Pacific islands. She added that Pacific island countries "welcome the U.S. re-engagement with the region, but don't want geopolitical tussles to result in an escalation of militarization. "Vanuatu Prime Minister Sato Kilman will also not attend the summit, his office told Reuters.

Persons: Manasseh Sogavare, James Marape, David Kabua, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Joe Biden, Biden, Washington, Sogavare, Meg Keen, Sato Kilman, Kilman, Ishmael Kalsakau, David Brunnstrom, Trevor Hunnicutt, Kirsty Needham, Don Durfee, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Solomon Islands, Guinea's, Samoa's, U.S ., NFL, White, Coast Guard, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Solomon, Biden, Pacific, Australia's Lowy Institute, USAID, Vanuatu, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Solomon, Papua, Marshall, U.S, WASHINGTON, Washington, Papua New Guinea, Asia, United States, Cook, Niue, Baltimore, Pacific, China, Beijing, Congress, Australia, The U.S, Vanuatu, Fiji, Kiribati, Hawaii, Palau, Micronesia, Sydney

☆ Solomon Islands says Chinese police to assist cyber, community security
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In a statement on Friday, Sogavare's office said the Pacific Islands nation was broadening its security partnerships, and the Chinese police will add to the existing Australia and New Zealand policing support. Riots in the capital Honiara in 2021 exposed gaps in the islands' policing, it said. Opposition leader Matthew Wale said in a statement "policing is different in democracies than in communist countries and democracies must uphold human rights and due process". The issue was not China's supply of security equipment, but the compatibility of Chinese and Pacific policing, said Meg Keen, director of the Lowy Institute's Pacific Islands programme. Solomon Islands has a population of 700,000, across an archipelago that occupies a strategic position in the Pacific Islands, and was pivotal to the U.S. move west across the Pacific to liberate the Philippines in World War Two.

Persons: Manasseh Sogavare, Sogavare's, Penny Wong, Wang Yi, Sogavare, Matthew Wale, Meg Keen, Lowy, Wale, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln Organizations: SYDNEY, Solomon Islands, Australia's, Islands Government, Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, New Zealand, China's Global, Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Thomson Locations: Solomon, Australia, Beijing, Pacific, China, U.S, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Jakarta, Islands, Honiara, Philippines, Taiwan, Washington, Canberra

☆ Solomon Islands leader visits security partner China with focus on infrastructure
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SYDNEY, July 9 (Reuters) - Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare arrives in China on Sunday for his first visit since striking a security deal, pledging to "remain neutral" amid rising China-U.S. competition and prioritise his nation's development needs. Western analysts said Sogavare would be feted after signing the security pact that alarmed Washington and some Pacific Islands neighbours including Australia last year. China's foreign ministry said China and the Solomon Islands had "contributed to peace, stability and development in the region", and the two countries leaders would discuss international and regional issues. China has constructed the stadium, is advising on security, and will train 80 Solomon Islands athletes arriving in China this week. Solomon Islands has one of the closest relationships with China in the region, said Meg Keen, director of the Lowy Institute's Pacific Islands program.

Persons: Manasseh Sogavare, Sogavare, Graeme Smith, Meg Keen, Lowy, Kirsty Needham, Kim Coghill Organizations: SYDNEY, Solomon Islands, Papua New, Huawei, Pacific Games, Solomon, Australian National University, Thomson Locations: Solomon, China, U.S, Washington, Australia, Papua, Papua New Guinea, Britain, Honiara, Chinese, Honiara's, Beijing, Jiangsu, Guangdong, India, Gulf, Taiwan, Pacific, Japan

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