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Campbell and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and
Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink will lead a delegation that
includes Department of Defense and U.S. Agency for International
Development officials to three countries: the Solomon Islands,
Fiji and Papua New Guinea, the White House National Security
Council said in a statement.
"The delegation will meet with senior government officials to
ensure our partnerships deliver prosperity, security, and peace
across the Pacific Islands and the Indo-Pacific," it said
without giving dates for the trip.
The team will also stop in Hawaii to "consult with senior
military officials and regional partners at United States
Indo-Pacific Command," it said.
In February, the United States announced it would open an
embassy in the Solomon Islands, part of an effort by the Biden
administration to commit more diplomatic and security resources
to the Indo-Pacific to counter China's drive for greater
influence.
The Solomon Islands said in March that it was creating a
partnership with China to tackle security threats and ensure a
safe environment for investment in what would be a major inroad
for Beijing in a region that U.S. allies Australia and New
Zealand have for decades seen as their "backyard."
But after a regional backlash, the Solomon Islands said it would
not allow a Chinese military base there.
Australia's Defence Minister Peter Dutton has said that China
hopes to gain a military foothold in the Pacific Islands,
including a "military port" in Papua New Guinea.
China offered to redevelop a naval base in Papua New Guinea in
2018 but Australia's closest northern neighbor decided to have
Australia to develop the base instead.
(Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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