The US Secretary of State urged Pacific nations to resist tyranny.
A senior US official in the Solomon Islands, on Sunday, warned Pacific countries against the progress of authoritarian regimes, such as China is expanding its influence In this area of the estate of Washington and its allies.
Assistant Secretary of State Wendy Sherman visits the Solomon Islands to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Guadalcanal, the first major ground offensive by the United States and its allies against Japan in 1942 and a turning point in the Pacific War.
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Wendy Sherman warns, without naming names, of leaders she says are trying to revive ideas”corruptRegarding the use of force andWe believe that coercion, pressure and violence are tools that can be used with impunity».
Comparing the current situation to the Allied struggle against Nazism and the Empire of Japan in the 1930s and 1940s, the American diplomat urged Pacific nations to resist tyranny. “We remember how rotten and empty these ideas were, and how they remain so today.“, She said. “Today we are once again engaged in a battle of a different kind, a battle that will continue in the present.».
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Wendy Sherman’s visit to the Solomon Islands comes as the United States seeks to regain a foothold in a region where China is increasingly diplomatically active. The Solomon Islands government recently signed a vague security agreement with Beijing, and is trying to curb press freedom and is considering postponing elections.
«It is up to us whether we want to continue to have societies where people are free to express their opinions“and others”If we want governments that are transparent and responsive to their peopleMrs. Sherman fired in front of her hosts.
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Besides the caveats, Wendy Sherman emphasized that Washington wants to increase cooperation with the Pacific islands.”It is absolutely necessaryAccording to her, mainly by opening embassies in Tonga, Kiribati and the Solomon Islands.
As part of this charm offensive, US President Joe Biden will host Pacific Island leaders at the White House for a summit in September.
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