US shoring up Pacific standing vs China

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Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman continues holding meetings this week with Pacific leaders, as the US attempts to shore up its standing in the region against an increasingly aggressive and threatening China. KHJ News Washington correspondent Matt Kaye reports…
 
China’s belligerent and menacing military exercises around Taiwan has Washington and Pacific Island states on edge…and Deputy Secretary Sherman is meeting island leaders to reassure them the US is engaged and committed to a strong Pacific.
 
Sherman just held a talanoa roundtable discussion with island countries in Wellington, New Zealand, where she also met with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Foreign Affairs and Trade Secretary Chris Seed.
 
Sherman stressed to island leaders the US’ deep commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, and discussed climate change, countering illegal fishing, and supporting economic development.
                                                
The Deputy Secretary discussed economic and security issues with Prime Minister Ardern, including recent actions by China threatening Taiwan and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
 
Here in Washington, Former US Army Acting Chief of Staff Jack Keane told a Heritage Foundation audience, the US has plans to defend Taiwan if the US president decided to, but couched that…

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A Senate Foreign Relations’ staffer said the Taiwan Policy Act the panel will take up next month, would provide several (B) billion dollars for foreign military financing to Taiwan, and for training.
 
Deputy Secretary Sherman was also leading an interagency US delegation to the Solomon Islands to take part in ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal.

The Solomons earlier signed a security agreement with China, raising fears the Chinese would militarize the Islands, though leaders there denied it.

And Sherman met with Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and discussed COVID-19 help and biosecurity rules keeping Samoan meat exports from entering American Samoa.

Sherman said she’d bring the concern back here to see if anything could be done.

The Biden Administration and US lawmakers are working to expand regional meat processing and sales to counter the monopoly power of four major US meat packers.

And Sherman was to meet King Tupou VI in Tonga to discuss starting talks on establishing a US embassy there and to commemorate 50-years of bilateral relations.

Photo:Government of Samoa