US Deputy Secretary of State dedicates Embassy in Vanuatu

Kurt Campbell, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, is set to visit Vanuatu to inaugurate the United States’ newest overseas mission, the Embassy Port Vila. This visit follows his participation in the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting in Tonga, where he will advocate for U.S.-Pacific partnership objectives. The State Department highlighted that these engagements in Tonga, Vanuatu, and New Zealand are part of a broader strategy involving high-level visits by U.S. officials to strengthen ties in the region. The backdrop of Campbell's visit is marked by increasing military presence and assertiveness from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Pacific, a region vital for international trade and stability. The U.S. is prioritizing peace in the area, especially as New Zealand and Australia have already extended security assistance. Tonga's government has not confirmed whether it has accepted a security offer from Beijing, despite the nation grappling with a significant debt to China, amounting to approximately $160 million from loans taken in 2008 and 2010. This debt poses a considerable challenge for Tonga, which must repay it by 2028, and the CCP has refused to renegotiate the repayment terms. Experts have labeled this situation as part of China's "debt-trap diplomacy," where large loans are tied to ambitious infrastructure projects with repayment plans based on overly optimistic projections. Vanuatu has also engaged with China, receiving funding for its new presidential palace. Kurt Campbell, a seasoned architect of U.S. policy in the Indo-Pacific, has held various roles in multiple administrations, including his recent position as deputy assistant to the president for Indo-Pacific affairs on the National Security Council.