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Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) penned an op-ed for Defense News focused on how the United States must curb Chinese aggression in the Pacific.
Kennedy said, “If anyone doubts Beijing’s commitment to aggressive Pacific expansionism, its response to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan should remove any lingering uncertainty.”
He stated that China continues to wrap its economic, diplomatic, and “military tentacles” around smaller nations. He said the the implications stretch far beyond Taipei and that during World War II, Kiribati’s airport allowed American planes to refuel in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Despite that, current reports indicate that Kiribati will make a deal with China to upgrade its runway. “No doubt Beijing recognizes the military significance of that airstrip. Apparently, the U.S. didn’t. Kiribati’s ambassador to the U.S. said the country asked Washington for help but was rebuffed,” he wrote.
The Senator said that he and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) is giving Congress a bipartisan solution that the White House has already indicated it supports. “Since there are no ambassadors to the PIF,” he wrote,” the U.S. and Pacific Islands Forum Partnership Act would establish a special envoy there.” He penned that the Senate-confirmed role would elevate diplomacy in the region since it would offer the same access to the Oval Office as an ambassadorship. “The position would also have the same accountability to Congress,” Kennedy said.
He also stated that the U.S. can’t afford to be ignorant of the economic investments and military overtures China is making to neighbors in the Pacific. “Kiribati turned from diplomacy with Taiwan to China in 2019 and cut ties with the PIF this summer. Other Pacific Island nations could follow suit, ” he said.
Click here to read his full op-ed.
