SYDNEY/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. is disappointed Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare will not attend a Pacific Islands summit with U.S. President Joe Biden next week, the White House said on Saturday. Biden will host a second summit with leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum at the White House on Monday as part of his efforts to step up engagement with a region where the U.S. is in a battle for influence with China. "We are disappointed that PM Sogavare of the Solomons does not plan to attend," a Biden Administration official said. The Australian broadcaster ABC reported Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele will attend the summit instead. The Solomon Islands Prime Ministers Office did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

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Persons: Solomon, Manasseh Sogavare, Joe Biden, Biden, Jeremiah Manele, Sogavare, Xi Jinping, Sato Kilman, Trevor Hunnicutt, Kirsty Needham, Josie Kao Organizations: SYDNEY, Solomon Islands, Pacific, White, Biden Administration, ABC, Solomon, Solomon Islands Prime Ministers, United Nations General Assembly, Initiative, Global Security Initiative, Vanuatu Locations: WASHINGTON, U.S, China, Washington, Australian, Solomon Islands, New York, Beijing, Solomon, Sydney