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The U.S. military can papua new guineaIt is part of Washington’s strategy to outflank China in the Pacific region under a landmark security agreement.
The full text of the agreement, which was tabled in Papua New Guinea’s parliament late on Wednesday and obtained by AFP, reveals Signed the agreement in May.
Under the Papua New Guinea agreement, the United States will be able to station troops and ships at six major ports and airfields, including the Lombrum Naval Base on Manus Island and facilities in the capital, Port Moresby.
Washington will have “unhindered” access to the sites to “pre-position equipment, supplies, and materiel,” and “exclusive use” of some base areas where it will conduct development and “construction activities.”
The deal opens the door for Washington to establish a new military footprint in the Western Pacific amid growing competition between the United States and China.
Pacific Island President Palau He told Reuters he had asked the United States to step up patrols in its waters after a number of recent incursions by Chinese ships into its exclusive economic zone.
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr said in an interview that he would also welcome an expanded U.S. military presence to join existing Coast Guard and civil action groups.
Whipps said Palau first detected Chinese vessels in its waters in May, when a ship appeared to be surveying an area near fiber optic cables that are vital to Palau’s communications.
“One way or another we are going to be at the center of things so it’s very important that we are protected,” Whipps said during a visit to Tokyo on Wednesday, adding that “if you want peace you have to show strength.”
The Pentagon and China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Palau has a decades-old agreement with Washington under which the United States is responsible for Palau’s defense and provides economic aid – an agreement with roots dating back to World War II.
In Papua New Guinea, access to Lombrum could be used to reinforce U.S. facilities in Guam to the north, which could play a key role in the event of a conflict over Taiwan.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape was forced to defend the deal against a wave of protests and criticism, with some opponents questioning whether Papua New Guinea had given up sovereignty.
“For the past 48 years, we have allowed the military to weaken. Sovereignty depends on the strength and power of the military,” he told parliament on Wednesday evening.
Rich in natural resources and located close to major shipping routes, Papua New Guinea has increasingly become the center of a diplomatic tug-of-war between Washington and Beijing.
Former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said the deal made Papua New Guinea a target. “The United States is doing this to protect its national interests and we all understand the geopolitics going on in our region,” he said.
America president, Joe Biden was scheduled to visit Papua New Guinea In May this year, Trump’s visit to China was canceled due to budget debate in the US Congress.
Washington is trying to win strategic support from Pacific nations through a series of diplomatic and economic incentives, following similar moves by Beijing.
Chinese companies snapped up minerals and ports across the Pacific Ocean last year. Signs secret security agreement with neighboring Solomon Islands Allow China to send troops to the Solomon Islands.
The United States fears that a Chinese military foothold in the South Pacific could outflank its facilities in Guam and complicate defending Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.
AFP and Reuters
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