Pacific allies react to final security pact funding approval
Pacific allies react to final security pact funding approval
2024-03-15
Long-awaited critical funds to counter China in the Pacific have been approved for three U.S. allies: Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands. Over the weekend, U.S. President Joe Biden signed into law $7 billion over 20 years in funding for the Compacts of Free Association as part of a partial government funding bill, as VOA’s Jessica Stone reports.
With this vote in the U.S. Senate, partial funding flows to the U.S. government. For the tiny Pacific nation of Palau -- a U.S. ally -- it’s a lifeline.
Surangel Whipps Jr.
Palau president
It’s not Oct. 1, but it’s at least within this fiscal year, and really just in time.
Palau maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but its economy relies on Chinese tourists, who dropped by more than 50% in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, tanking the nation’s economy. Whipps says he recently met with investors from Singapore and Japan to chart a more sustainable direction.
Surangel Whipps Jr.
Palau president
Opening up new markets so that we’re diversified and more resilient, not so dependent on the Chinese tourism, which could be weaponized.
Palau’s funds come through an agreement that provides US$7 billion dollars in economic aid over 20 years to Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands. In exchange, the U.S. gets exclusive access to a broad swath of the Pacific – and the right to turn others away, including China.
Kathryn Paik
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Simply having the freedom of navigation through this part of the Pacific is really critical, and if we lose that, we also lose direct access to our allies in the Philippines and Australia.
The agreement was renewed and signed last fall, but Congress took five months to fund it. The delay raised doubts about Washington’s commitment to the Pacific, warned Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine.
Hilda Heine
President of the Marshall Islands
Our nation has been a steadfast ally of the United States, but that should not be taken for granted.
In a video message on Facebook, Wesley Simina, President of the Federated States of Micronesia, or FSM, acknowledged the long wait:
Wesley Simina
President of the Federated States of Micronesia
At the end of the day, the FSM and the U.S. reached an agreement, on an outcome that I’m confident will benefit both our nations.
An agreement, these leaders say, that provides new motivation to deepen economic and security cooperation in a part of the world that’s critical to American security.
Jessica Stone, VOA News Washington.
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對抗中國影響力 美通過金援南太平洋3島國
2024-03-15
美國參議院批准為期20年，總計70億美元金援密克羅尼西亞、以及台灣2友邦馬紹爾群島、帛琉等3南太平洋島國法案，總統拜登日前簽署生效。這項經濟援助法案外界原先預期國會於去年10月就會通過，卻因兩黨僵局而遲未有結果，來自美國之音的報導。
美國參議院批准多項政府機關的開支法案，包含為美國在太平洋的盟友帛琉提供金援。
[[帛琉總統 惠恕仁]]
“雖然不是在10月1日通過，但至少在這個財政年度內，而且真的正好來得及”
帛琉為台灣友邦，但經濟上卻依賴著中國觀光客，在COVID-19疫情後銳減了50%以上，危急國家經濟。帛琉總統惠恕仁積極會面新加坡和日本的投資者，為國內經濟尋找更永續的方向。
[[帛琉總統 惠恕仁]]
“開拓新的市場，讓我們多元化並擁有更強的抵抗能力，不會過度依賴中國的觀光客，避免被當作談判的籌碼”
帛琉的資金來自一項協定，該協定將於20年內，向帛琉、密克羅尼西亞和馬紹爾群島提供70億美元經濟援助。美國則獲得進入太平洋大片區域的專屬權，並有權驅趕他國，包括中國。
[[戰略與國際研究中心Kathryn Paik]]
"僅僅擁有這一部分太平洋的自由航行已經很重要，如果我們失去了這一點，我們也會失去與菲律賓和澳洲盟友的直接接觸”
外界原先預期去年10月就會通過提供筆資金，卻因兩黨僵局花了5個月才通過，馬紹爾群島總統海妮提出警告，此舉導致太平洋島國對美國的承諾產生疑慮。
[[馬紹爾群島總統 海妮]]
“我們一直是美國堅定的盟友，但不應被視為理所當然”
密克羅尼西亞總統西米納也透過社群媒體表示，真的等了很久。
[[密克羅尼西亞總統 西米納]]
“趕在午夜前，密克羅尼西亞和美國達成了一項協定，我相信這對雙方都有利”
3國總統表示，這項協定將加深他們與美國在經濟和區域安全上的合作。
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