Blinken’s tour of the Pacific Ocean was overshadowed by Ukraine – VG

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Throughout the tour, the danger of a war in Ukraine has overshadowed Blinken’s message that the United States is determined to stem China’s influence in Asia and the Pacific.

Blinken left Washington on Tuesday and first set course for Melbourne, Australia, where he spent three days meeting with foreign ministers from Australia, India and Japan.

On Friday, he traveled to Fiji to have a virtual meeting with representatives of 17 Pacific nations, before continuing to Hawaii, where he, along with the foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan, declared that the three countries are united in their fight to resist security threats. in the Asia-Pacific region.

According to US officials, the trip will help make the countries in the region confident that they can still count on the United States’ commitment to a region where China has ambitions to become the dominant power, both economically, politically and militarily.

– Will affect our lives

In connection with the tour, the White House has published an 18-page document in which the United States explains its strategy in what the Biden administration now refers to as the Indo-Pacific region.

“This strategy reflects the fundamental truth that what is happening in this region is going to shape the lives of Americans and people in other parts of the world more than anywhere else in the world,” Blinken said as he ended his tour of Honolulu on Saturday.

Blinken has, however, first and foremost had to answer questions about Ukraine during the press conferences he has held, even though the aim was first and foremost to talk warmly about the United States’ commitment to the region. For the journalists, it was more important to get him to comment on the US warning that Russia can attack Ukraine at any time.

He has also had to keep in touch with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, as part of the intense telephone diplomacy that has taken place to reduce the very tense situation between Russia and the United States.

Promises more money

Blinken’s purpose with the trip has, however, been well received by US allies in the region.

During the visit to Fiji, Blinken said, among other things, that the United States will spend more money on supporting the island nations in the Pacific, and that the United States will re-establish its embassy in the Solomon Islands, which has been closed for almost 30 years.

At the meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Japan and India in Melbourne, it was discussed to expand cooperation to more areas. The countries have arranged joint naval exercises, now the cooperation will also apply to climate change, cyber security and coronary vaccines.

According to researcher Jonathan Pryce at the Lowy Institute in Australia, the trip shows that the United States is clearly concerned about China’s growing influence in the region. He calls Blinken’s visit “quite important”.

Asks North Korea for dialogue

The Ukraine crisis was also the topic of talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa in Honolulu, as a possible war in Ukraine could also affect the Asian economy.

But the Asian powers were more concerned about the threat from North Korea and the country’s nuclear weapons program, and they want the United States to do more to bring the country’s leader Kim Jong-un to the negotiating table. Recently, North Korea has conducted seven tests of ballistic missiles, which has caused great unrest in South Korea and Japan.

– I want to emphasize that we have no hostile intentions towards North Korea. We are still open to an unconditional dialogue, said Blinken, who called the rocket tests a provocation.

In a joint statement, the three countries write that North Korea must stop its illegal activities and instead engage in a dialogue.

See US Secretary of State talk about Ukraine: – An invasion can begin at any time:

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