Assistant Secretary Campbell’s Travel to the Pacific Islands

June 28, 2011 - U.S. Ambassador Huebner's blog post - A Very Productive Visit To Samoa
June 26, 2011 - U.S. Ambassador Huebner's blog post - Assistant Secretary Campbell Leads High Level Delegation To Samoa And Other Island Nations
June 25, 2011 - U.S.-China Asia-Pacific Consultations
June 24, 2011 - Briefing on His Upcoming Trip to the Pacific Islands
June 23, 2011 - Assistant Secretary Campbell’s Travel to the Pacific Islands
June 23, 2011 - U.S. to Discuss Climate Change, Poverty with Pacific Islands

June 25, 2011 - U.S.-China Asia-Pacific Consultations‪‪:

Assistant Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell hosted Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai for the  inaugural U.S.-China  Consultations on the Asia-Pacific on June 25 in Honolulu.  The consultations are an outcome of the third U.S-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in May and reflect President Obama's and President Hu's commitment to build a positive, cooperative, and comprehensive relationship.

 

The United States and China conducted open, frank, and constructive discussions with the goal of obtaining a better understanding of each other's intentions, policies and actions toward the Asia-Pacific region.  The United States began the dialogue by highlighting that it is an Asia-Pacific country with an abiding national interest in peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.   The United States underscored the growing importance of its alliances, which are the cornerstone of its strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as of its efforts to build new partnerships in the region. The United States reiterated  it welcomes a strong, prosperous, and successful China that plays a greater role in regional and world affairs.

 

The United States emphasized its support for strengthening the role of regional institutions.  In that context, the United States and China discussed ways for both countries to promote greater cooperation on the challenges facing the region.  In particular, Assistant Secretary Campbell and Vice Foreign Minister Cui discussed each sides' objectives for the upcoming meetings of the ASEAN Regional Forum, the APEC Leaders Meeting that will be held here in Hawaii, the Pacific Islands Forum and the East Asia Summit. The United States and China also had discussions about Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific, with particular attention on timely issues such as North Korea, maritime security in the South China Sea, and Burma.

 

The Asia-Pacific Consultations are similar to dialogues the United States holds with many other Asia-Pacific states, and complements existing U.S.-China sub-dialogues on other critical regions of the world.  These dialogues enhance cooperation, contribute to better understanding between the United States and China, and promote regional security.  The United States' delegation consisted of representatives from the Departments of State and Defense, the National Security Staff, the United States Pacific Command, and the United States Agency for International Development. Assistant Secretary Campbell thanked Vice Foreign Minister Cui for the constructive exchange of views, and the two sides agreed to hold another round of talks in China at a mutually convenient time.

June 24, 2011 - Briefing on His Upcoming Trip to the Pacific Islands:

MS. FULTON: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. So glad to see so many of you. It’s been a busy week for Asia Pacific Affairs this week at the State Department, and we’re very pleased to have with us today Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell, who’s going to talk about his upcoming trip to the Pacific Islands. So without further ado, I’ll turn it over.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL: Thank you very much, and it’s good to see all of you here today. What I’d like to do, if at all possible, is to lay out five things this week, and then I’d be pleased to take any questions that you have going forward. [read more]

June 23, 2011 -  U.S. to Discuss Climate Change, Poverty with Pacific Islands:

Washington — The Obama administration is sending a high-level delegation to the Pacific Islands to engage governments in the region on climate change, the welfare of Pacific Islanders and U.S. assistance to the region.

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell told reporters June 24 that he and U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Patrick Walsh will lead an interagency team from the State Department, the Defense Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on a trip that will take him to Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands June 26–July 1. The trip will begin with a June 25 stop in Hawaii for a meeting with a Chinese delegation.

“We recognize that the challenges affecting the Pacific, ranging from climate change to endemic poverty, are important to address, and the United States wants to be in the forefront of that effort, bringing together a range of international actors that care about developments there,” Campbell said. [read more]

June 23, 2011 - Assistant Secretary Campbell’s Travel to the Pacific Islands:

Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt M. Campbell, accompanied by U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Patrick M. Walsh, USAID Assistant Administrator Nisha Biswal and Office of the Secretary of Defense South/Southeast Asia Principal Director Brigadier General Simcock will travel to the Pacific Islands June 26 - July 1, 2011.

This unprecedented high-level trip demonstrates the United States’ enduring strategic commitment to the region and underscores the whole-of-government approach to enhancing our bilateral political, economic, and security relations in the Pacific. In addition, the delegation will engage in discussions on enhancing the U.S. role and support for the Pacific Island Forum, and steps that the U.S. can take to enhance opportunities for American businesses seeking to invest in the Pacific.

The delegation arrives in Kiribati on June 27, where they will meet with President Anote Tong and other senior officials to discuss issues including climate change and economic development prospects.  The group will also participate in a wreath laying ceremony.  The delegation will continue on to Samoa, recrossing the dateline to arrive on June 26, to meet with Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and other senior officials to discuss issues affecting South Pacific nations, including regional environmental programs and our common efforts in international organizations.  They will also meet private sector members and civil society representatives.

On June 28, the delegation travels to Tonga, to meet with King George Tupou V, Prime Minister Tui'vakano, and other senior officials.  They will acknowledge the important contribution of Royal Tongan Marines in Afghanistan.  In the Solomon Islands, the delegation will meet with Prime Minister Danny Philip and representatives from Solomon's Foreign Ministry on June 29.  Besides holding talks on current issues affecting our two countries, the delegation will lay wreaths at the World War II Guadalcanal American Memorial and conduct talks with the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI).

On June 29, the delegation arrives in Papua New Guinea to meet with Acting Prime Minister Samuel Abal and Foreign Minister Ano Pala.  Talks in Port Moresby will be particularly extensive, given PNG’s major roles in various international and Pacific fora. The delegation will also meet with American business officials who play an important part in the development of PNG’s energy sector. The group will depart the next day for Palau to meet with President Toribiong and his senior officials to discuss our common views on global issues, and climate change and development issues.  They will also take the opportunity to meet with various civil society and business representatives. 

On July 1, the delegation will travel to the Federated States of Micronesia to meet with President Emanuel Mori, tour Pohnpei State Hospital, and hold roundtable discussions with civil society groups.  On the same day, the delegation will travel to the Republic of the Marshall Islands where they will meet with senior leaders and members of civil society for talks on various economic developments, climate change, and other transnational issues.  The delegation will express its appreciation for the service of Palauan, Micronesian, and Marshallese citizens in the Armed Forces of the United States, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The delegation returns to Washington, D.C. on July 2.