The United States announced $810 million in new funding for Pacific Islands at a summit with President Joe Biden amid inroads by China in the strategic but sparsely populated region.
The White House said $600 million will be in the form of a 10-year package to clean up and develop dirty waters to support the tuna industry, while the United States will also expand climate and development aid and its diplomatic presence.
With the United States until now often seen as taking the region for granted,China has asserted itself stronglyin recent years through investment, police training and, most controversially, a security pact with the Solomon Islands.