Deutsche Welle
Deutsche Welle (DW) is Germany’s international broadcaster and a trusted source for reliable news and information with content in 30 languages. The flagship channel DW provides analysis and insights to viewers around the globe, reporting on important issues in English 24/7. With continuous news reports, special features and talk shows covering everything from business, science and politics to culture and sports, DW brings people closer to what matters most – made in Germany, made for minds.
What you need to know
The U.S. officially recognized two small Pacific nations, Cook Islands and Niue, as “sovereign and independent” states.
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday that the United States officially recognized two small Pacific nations.
According to Biden, Washington has recognized the Cook Islands and Niue as “sovereign and independent” states and will establish diplomatic relations with both.
The move would help maintain a “free and open Indo-Pacific region,” Biden said. He added that the agreements to recognize the two nations would also help curb illegal fishing, address climate change in a vulnerable region, and promote economic growth.
The U.S. and Niue already established diplomatic relations on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Niue Premier Dalton Tagelagi signing a joint statement to that effect, the U.S. State Department said.
Why is the US interested in the Niue and the Cook Islands?
The Cook Islands and Niue have a combined population of less than 20,000, but form a vast economic zone in the South Pacific.
Both are self-governing nations in “free association” with New Zealand, meaning that their foreign and defense policies are tied to Wellington to varying degrees.
After decades of being treated as a relative backwater, the South Pacific has become an important arena for competition between the U.S. and an increasingly assertive China.
Beijing has dramatically ramped up its economic, political, and military footprint in the strategic ocean region.
Biden makes new pledges to Pacific leaders
The announcement of the recognition of the Cook Islands and Niue came at the start of a summit with the 18-member Pacific Islands Forum, which is seen as part of a U.S. charm offensive to block further Chinese inroads into the strategic region that Washington has long considered its own backyard.
The forum brings together states and territories scattered across the Pacific, from Australia to sparsely populated micro-states and archipelagos. But China’s influence will be felt with the absence of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare of the Solomon Islands, now closely aligned with Beijing.
“The U.S. is committed to ensuring an Indo-Pacific region that is free, open, prosperous, and secure. We’re committed to working with all the nations around this table to achieve that goal,” Biden said at the welcoming ceremony.
He added that the recognition of the two island states will “enable us to expand the scope of this enduring partnership as we seek to tackle the challenges that matter most to our peoples’ lives.”
Biden also pledged to work with Congress to provide $200 million (€189 million) more in funding for the region for projects aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change, spurring economic growth, countering illegal fishing and improving public health.
This article was originally published on Deutsche Welle. Read the original article here.
READ NEXT: Taiwan EV Gear Supplier to Establish Facility in the US, Extending Tech Partnership
TNL Editor: Kim Chan (@thenewslensintl)
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more story updates in your news feed, please be sure to follow our Facebook.
