US, China Vie for Influence at Upcoming Pacific Forum, With Climate Change in Focus
- Pacific leaders push for faster action on climate change
- China envoy to Pacific to attend meeting for the first time
Both the US and China have delegations at the 52nd Pacific Island Forum that began Monday in the main island of Rarotonga, above, more than 4,800 kilometers (3,000 miles) east of Australia.
Photographer: Marty Melville/AFP/Getty ImagesThe world’s two largest powers will descend on the small Pacific nation of the Cook Islands this week as they compete for influence at the region’s largest annual forum, even as the island-bound nations push the world to move faster in tackling climate change.
Both the US and China have delegations at the 52nd Pacific Island Forum that began Monday in the main island of Rarotonga, more than 4,800 kilometers (3,000 miles) east of Australia. The leaders’ meetings begin Wednesday on the atoll of Aitutaki. The US is led by its Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield and China by its envoy to the Pacific, Qian Bo.