SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s foreign minister shall be a part of a bipartisan group of Australian politicians set to travel to Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau this week in a bid to bolster regional ties.
The group comprises Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, senior government minister Pat Conroy, and their opposition counterparts, the politicians said in a joint statement on Sunday.
Australia has been working to shore up its standing within the Pacific amid growing influence from China, which entered a security pact with the Solomon Islands in April.
U.S. ally Australia has for a long time seen the region as largely its sphere of influence. This 12 months, each China and Australia launched senior-level visits to the Pacific.
The politicians said they might meet Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau, Federated States of Micronesia President David Panuelo and Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr.
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Discussions would cover development objectives, the “existential threat” of climate change, and key regional security issues, the politicians said of their statement.
The group, while in Vanuatu, would attend a ceremony for the handover of a latest wharf and police boat “as a part of Australia’s enduring cooperation on shared regional security interests”.
“I’m pleased we’re … demonstrating Australia’s enduring commitment to strengthening our Pacific partnerships and addressing regional challenges,” Wong said.
It’s the primary government-led bipartisan visit to Pacific island countries since 2019, they said.
(Reporting by Sam McKeith; Editing by Robert Birsel)
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