TOKYO — Japan will host a summit on Thursday with leaders of more than a dozen Pacific island nations, seeking to deepen cooperation and increase support for a free and open rules-based Indo-Pacific amid China’s growing influence in the region.
The Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting, or PALM, launched at Japanese initiative in 1997, has become Japan’s key diplomatic tool in deterring China’s economic and security influence in the region by strengthening its ties with members of the Pacific Islands Forum, emphasizing its willingness to support them. and maintain unity.
In his opening remarks, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he looked forward to elevating Japan’s ties with the Pacific Islands to a higher level and renewing their commitment to “walk into the future together.” He highlighted the importance of joining forces to quickly address mutual issues such as climate change.
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, who co-chairs this year’s summit, welcomed Japan’s approach to working with PIF members “as equals” to achieve its 2050 strategy for the Blue Pacific, “our vision of a region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion and prosperity.”
He pointed to climate resilience and disaster risk management, sustainable ocean management, economic resilience, ensuring people-centred development and investment in technology and connectivity as key areas for cooperation.
Japan also seeks to share with leaders the importance of maintaining the open, free and rules-based international order in the region, keeping China in mind but not carefully mentioning it.
The South Pacific island nations have become a focus of security concern in recent years between Japan and its ally the United States and its regional partners such as Australia and New Zealand, as Beijing increases its presence in the region where many nations islands depend economically on China. as is the case with many other countries.
Leaders from 18 Pacific Islands Forum member nations and regions are expected to adopt a joint declaration declaring their commitment to working together in areas including maritime security, defense cooperation, climate change and economic development and other key issues at the end of Thursday’s meeting.
Kishida has also held bilateral meetings with the leaders since earlier this week on the sidelines of the summit.
In his separate meetings on Wednesday with several leaders, including Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Niue and Papua New Guinea, Kishida announced Japan’s support for infrastructure, fisheries projects and other areas.
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AP writer Ayaka McGill contributed to this report.
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