Kurt Campbell will visit Vanuatu to dedicate the United States’ newest overseas mission, Embassy Port Vila.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell will travel to the Pacific island of Tonga next week to lead the U.S. delegation to the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting and promote U.S.-Pacific partnership goals.
After his Aug. 28 visit to Tonga, Campbell will visit Vanuatu to dedicate the United States’ newest overseas mission, Embassy Port Vila. On Aug. 30 he will visit Auckland to co-chair the United States–New Zealand Strategic Dialogue and hold talks on technology.
The tiny nation owes China a sizable debt. The CCP loaned Tonga about $160 million in 2008 and 2010, which the government used to rebuild after 2006 pro-Democracy riots in the central business district. Tonga must repay this by 2028, and the CCP has declined to renegotiate a debt repayment plan, representing a huge burden for a nation whose GDP is roughly $470 million.
Vanuatu’s new, multi-million dollar presidential palace is the result of Chinese funding as well. Days after Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai attended the opening of the palace this summer, he went to China to visit leader Xi Jinping. After the talks, the nations issued a joint statement in which the CCP welcomed Vanuatu into its Belt and Road Initiative.
Just ten days later, the United States opened the embassy in Vanuatu that Campbell will dedicate next week.
Campbell has been a key architect of American policy in the Indo-Pacific, having served in multiple administrations. Prior to his confirmation as deputy secretary this year, he was deputy assistant to the president and coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs on the National Security Council.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Original News Source Link – Epoch Times
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