WASHINGTON: The US government intends to open an embassy in the Solomon Islands as part of its policy to counter China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Speaking in the South Pacific nation of Fiji on Saturday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated US' intent to open the embassy to deepen its "cooperation with Pacific Island partners," reported NHK News.
In a document titled the "Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States", the US, last week, laid out its diplomatic policy for the Indo-Pacific region. It includes plans to open new embassies and consulates in Southeast Asia and Pacific island nations.
Blinken said, "These steps are only the beginning, and the US will continue to advance its engagement and investments in the Indo-Pacific."
The US had closed its embassy in the Soloman Islands in 1993. In 2019, the Solomon Islands cut its diplomatic ties with Taiwan and established relations with China, reported NHK News.