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July 26 (UPI) -- Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Tonga Wednesday to dedicate a new U.S. embassy and reaffirm relations with Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku as Washington raced to counter the growing Chinese threat in the South Pacific. During the visit, Blinken highlighted "problematic behavior" by China, including unlawful maritime claims, the militarization of the South China Sea, as well as predatory economic activities that promote corruption throughout the region.
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Blinken's was the first-ever visit to Tonga by a U.S. cabinet official as President Joe Biden was preparing to "usher in a new era of even closer collaboration to deliver on the issues that matter most to our people -- rooted in mutual respect and mutual trust," Blinken said during a joint news conference.
Blinken said Washington would continue to engage diplomatically with Beijing and would respect its sovereign decisions following this week's sudden and unexplained removal of Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang after less than seven months on the job.
"As we've said, it is important for us to manage this relationship responsibly," Blinken said. That starts with diplomacy. That starts with engaging. And I will work with whoever the relevant Chinese counterpart is," Blinken said.
Previously, Gang blamed Washington for allowing diplomatic relations to break down over the past year due to tensions over Taiwan, trade, and Beijing's deepening ties with Russia amid the war in Ukraine. Relations stumbled again in February after Biden ordered a Chinese spy balloon shot down after it drifted across the United States for several days.
Months later, Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to strengthen his military and take steps toward "reunification" with Taiwan while lashing out at "bullying foreign powers" that were working to stifle the Chinese economy and exert more influence throughout Asia.
Blinken's visit, meanwhile, was intended to build upon a broader strategic effort by the U.S. military to shore up its presence in the region, including on the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati, and the Philippines, as U.S. allies faced increased Chinese aggressions as well as a growing threat from North Korea's nuclear arsenal.
Back in Washington, the administration was working to determine who will serve as the first U.S. ambassador to Tonga, who must first be confirmed by the Senate.
In his third trip to the region, Blinken emphasized the U.S. commitment to staying engaged with its allies, saying fresh relations with Tonga would serve to strengthen the engagement of other Pacific partners as China was becoming more aggressive in its posturing toward neighboring territories.
"We're a Pacific nation," and "we very much see the future in the Indo-Pacific region," Blinken said while pledging to support Tongan priorities. "We really understand what is a priority for the people here," he said, citing issues like climate change, development and illegal fishing.
"There are a long list of things that we're working on together, but it's all driven by focusing on what's concrete, what can really make a difference in people's lives."
Blinken said he and Hu'akavameiliku discussed numerous other matters, including clean energy, maritime security, climate change, illegal fishing, cybersecurity, sustainable infrastructure, humanitarian programs, and ways to strengthen education partnerships as 70,000 Tongans live in the United States.
The leaders also talked about bringing the Peace Corps back to Tonga to help local communities deal with emerging environmental crises while also building lifelong relationships between both nations.
So far the administration has invested $810 million to support increased security among Pacific Islands like Tonga, while Biden plans to host a second U.S.-Pacific Islands summit in Washington later this year, Blinken said.
