US lawmakers back closer coordination with Pacific islands to counter China
By David Brunnstrom
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — A bipartisan group of U.S. senators has proposed legislation to support establishment of national security councils in strategic Pacific island states that are home to key U.S. military installations and at risk of espionage and coercion by China.
The provisions are contained in the sweeping National Defense Authorization Act, which was passed by the Senate last month but is still several steps from becoming law, and would allow for greater coordination between the U.S. security establishment and Palau, the Marshall Islands and Micronesia.
The sparsely populated nations, whose territories cover vast areas of the Pacific, have relations with the United States governed by so-called Compacts of Free Association.
Under these, Washington retains responsibility for their defense and provides economic assistance while gaining exclusive access to strategic swathes of ocean.
The U.S. recently agreed renewed COFA deals with Micronesia and Palau and is still negotiating with the Marshall Islands at a time when China is making significant inroads into the Pacific, a region the U.S. has long considered its back yard.
Republican Senator Jodi Ernst, a co-sponsor of the proposed legislation, which is expanded on in a separate soon-to-be submitted 'CONVENE Act', highlighted the challenge posed by China, noting Beijing's stepped up tieswith the Solomon Islands and incursions by Chinese vessels into Palau's waters.
«Currently, there is limited coordination between the U.S. and the COFA nations to counter Chinese malign influence, curb Chinese purchases of land around U.S. installations on the islands, or prevent China's infiltration and monitoring of U.S. activity throughout the island nations,»
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