Pacific island nations see a US pullback – will China step up?

The Pacific Islands Forum wants answers from Washington over its unmet financial pledges to the region, including US$200 million in funding

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Former US president Joe Biden (centre) stands with Pacific Islands Forum leaders at the White House following a summit in 2023. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:00am, 3 May 2025

Trust in the United States’ commitment to Pacific island nations – and its influence in the region – risks further erosion as Washington faces scrutiny over its failure to deliver on financial pledges.

Last month, leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) sent a letter to the Trump administration, voicing concerns about what they described as a widening gap between American promises and actual delivery.

Among the unfulfilled commitments is US$200 million in new funding announced in 2023, according to Collin Beck, permanent secretary at the Solomon Islands’ Foreign Affairs Ministry, who spoke to New Zealand media on April 22.

The region’s leaders are seeking direct discussions with Washington to resolve these issues, alongside grievances over US President Donald Trump’s import tariffs and millions of dollars reportedly owed for tuna-fishing rights in Pacific waters.

US President Donald Trump meets fishermen and women from American Samoa at the White House on April 17. Photo: EPA-EFE

The PIF, which comprises 18 countries and territories, works to foster cooperation on issues from economic development to climate change. But its trust in Washington has been tested.

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