Joe Biden to make landmark visit to Papua New Guinea as US vies with China for Asia-Pacific influence
- Biden plans to stop in Port Moresby in May as he travels between a G7 summit in Japan and a Quad summit in Sydney, Australia
- US and Australian officials have been concerned by a rapid uptick in Chinese investment in resource-rich Papua New Guinea
Joe Biden is set to become the first sitting US president in at least a century to visit Papua New Guinea, Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko said on Thursday, revealing plans for a brief but symbolic trip.
“He is coming on the 22nd, in the morning, and will be here for three hours only,” Tkatchenko said, adding that talks were expected to focus on the economy, security and climate change.
Biden plans to stop in Port Moresby in May as he travels between a G7 summit in Japan and a Quad summit in Sydney, Australia, the foreign minister said.
The Quad summit is being held in Sydney on May 24, with the leaders of India, Australia, Japan and the United States attending, Australia’s government has said.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to visit Papua New Guinea on May 21 for a two-day visit en route to Australia, where he will meet the Pacific island leaders, Papua New Guinea’s government has previously announced.
The US presidential trip is a nod to Papua New Guinea’s rapidly growing strategic importance, as the United States and its allies tussle with China for influence across the Asia-Pacific.
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Port Moresby in 2018 to much fanfare, with Chinese flags hoisted across the capital and his motorcade whizzing past gathered crowds.
