Us secretary of state Antony Blinken has signed a defence cooperation agreement with Papua New Guinea today.
According to Blinken, the defence cooperation was drafted by the United States and Papua New Guinea as equals and sovereign partners, to defend each other’s interest on all military fronts
The pact gives American forces access to the pacific nation’s airfields and ports in a move that is being seen as an attempt to counter China’s growing influence in the region.
The new pact came after Indian prime minister Narendra Modi addressed pacific-island leaders at a summit in the capital, Port Moresby.
Both Washington and new Delhi are concerned about Beijing trying to woo smaller nations through diplomatic and financial incentives.
