US Promises Increased Aid to Pacific Island Nations

搜索

复制

US Promises Increased Aid to Pacific Island Nations

Pacific island leaders welcomed a promise by the United States to increase aid to island nations in the Pacific Ocean. Proposed aid will go to fight illegal fishing, increase security and deal with climate change. It comes after many years of limited support.

U.S. Vice¹ President Kamala Harris spoke² to the leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum³, or PIF, in Suva, Fiji by video link on Wednesday. Harris proposed that U.S. aid to the islands would increase 200 percent to $60 million a year for the next 10 years. The measure requires approval from the U.S. Congress.

Leaders gathering⁴ for the four-day meeting see climate change as the area's major security issue. But tensions between China and the U.S., and the surprise withdrawal⁵ of Kiribati from the meeting, are also being discussed.

Recently, some Pacific leaders have sought to increase trade and security ties with China. The Solomon Islands, for example, struck a security agreement with China that has brought concern from the United States and its allies.

Harris told the leaders, "We recognize that in recent years that Pacific islands may not have received the diplomatic attention and support that you deserved...We are going to change that."

After Harris' speech, Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. told Reuters, "It really shows the U.S. are back and want to play an active role." He added, "Sometimes because of our remoteness we get forgotten, so this was important."

The meeting will discuss a proposal by China to sign a trade and security agreement with 10 nations that have ties to China. But some PIF members are against it.

Palau, which has a defense⁶ relationship with the United States and diplomatic ties with Taiwan, was among the PIF members excluded from the proposed China deal. But Whipps said China was economically active in the nation.

"That competition creates, sometimes, concerns about security. We lived through World War Two and we don't want to see that again," he said.

The United States is also working on a renewed fishing treaty with Pacific island nations. The treaty has permitted U.S. ships to fish in their exclusive economic zones, or nearby waters, for many years. It has also offered greater support for maritime⁷ surveillance in the Pacific.

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama is the chair of the Pacific Islands Forum. He said, "I think it is clear to see that the U.S. is certainly looking a lot more like the Pacific partner we have traditionally held it to be."

Increased attention from Australia

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese added that it was important the U.S. was increasing support, including new embassies in Kiribati and Tonga.

"We very much welcome the Biden administration's increased presence in the region," he said, adding strategic competition was a backdrop to the conference.

Australia and Fiji announced they would build an $83 million center in Fiji to hold the Fiji navy headquarters, Fiji Hydrographic Office, and Fiji Maritime Surveillance Coordination⁸ Center.

Albanese said the countries will work together on the project. The Australian leader said that it would create local jobs, protect local fishing industries and was "important for our security partnership⁹".

In Beijing, a Chinese official said that his government welcomes greater support from others to help the Pacific islands. But he warned that such efforts should not be undertaken to oppose China.

Words in This Story

role –n. the part that someone or something has in an activity or situation

remoteness –n. the quality of being far away from other things or other people

surveillance –n. the act of carefully watching something or someone

strategic –adj. related to long term plans to reach major goals such as those involving politics, war, or other major events

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

4 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

5 withdrawal   

n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销

参考例句：

• The police were forced to make a tactical withdrawal.警方被迫进行战术撤退。
• They insisted upon a withdrawal of the statement and a public apology.他们坚持要收回那些话并公开道歉。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

8 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

9 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。