Pacific Island Nations Warn of China's Influence Amid US Funding Delay

Leaders of Pacific Island nations, including the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau, are growing increasingly anxious about the delay in U.S. congressional approval of vital funding packages, warning that China is actively seeking to shift their allegiances. The funding, known as Compacts of Free Association (COFAs), has bipartisan support but has yet to be approved, despite the urgency. The delay has generated uncertainty and undesirable opportunities for economic exploitation by competitive political actors in the Pacific, with China attempting to exploit the situation to shift alliances and gain diplomatic recognition for Taiwan. The Biden administration has urged Congress to approve the funding, emphasizing the strategic importance of the COFA states and the threat posed by China's waiting to take advantage of the situation.