US President Joe Biden announced, Monday, new diplomatic ties with two Pacific Island nations: the Cook Islands and Niue, during the second annual summit for Pacific Island leaders at the White House.
Biden said in a statement that the new relations with the Cook Islands and Niue will help in deepening the cooperation in various fields like climate change, maritime borders, and marine activities, in addition to creating "a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”
A senior official told reporters that the summit target is facing China's "assertiveness and influence, including in this region.
The White House released a joint statement with the 18 Pacific Island leaders who participated in the summit Monday, asserting the declaration regarding the US ties with the Pacific nations that were established in last year's summit.
The statement added that the summit "outlined our shared vision for a resilient Pacific region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion, and prosperity, where individuals can reach their potential, the environment can thrive, and democracy can flourish."
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