US and Papua New Guinea sign security pact.

On Monday, the United States signed a new security pact with Papua New Guinea, as the competition with China for influence in the Pacific continues to escalate.

Papua New Guinea’s location, just north of Australia, makes it a strategically significant location, and with a population of nearly 10 million people, it is the most populous Pacific island nation. The country played a significant role in World War II, where fierce battles were fought on its soil.

The State Department announced that the new agreement would provide a framework to help improve security cooperation, enhance the capacity of Papua New Guinea’s defense force, and increase regional stability. Once politicians in both countries have had the opportunity for input, which is expected to take a couple of months, the full agreement will be made public.

The security pact has divided opinions in Papua New Guinea, with student protests occurring in the second-largest city of Lae. Many in the Pacific are concerned about the increasing militarization of the region, and several people are opposed to the security pact.

Student Naomi Kipoi expressed her opposition to the security pact, stating that she felt the U.S. could come to her country without permission. In contrast, she highlighted the significant progress that China has made on funding schools and building roads in Papua New Guinea.

The United States has been increasing its focus on the Pacific, with last year, Solomon Islands signing a security pact with China, which alarmed U.S. officials. The U.S. has opened embassies in Solomon Islands and Tonga, revived Peace Corps volunteer efforts, and encouraged more business investment in the region.

The United States also signed a maritime agreement that would allow the U.S. Coast Guard to partner with Papua New Guinea to counter illegal fishing and drug smuggling.

The U.S. visit occurred at the same time as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip, who held a meeting with Pacific Island leaders to explore ways to better cooperate.

A meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins yielded a shared vision for the region. Blinken expressed that the partnership with New Zealand was highly valued and that both nations shared the same goal of keeping the region open, secure, and prosperous.

Hipkins welcomed the increased U.S. presence in the Pacific but maintained that New Zealand wasn’t interested in the militarization of the region. Instead, New Zealand’s focus would be on working together with the Pacific on issues of mutual interest such as climate change.