“Congress has voted to take a clear, easy step to counter China’s communist antagonism by establishing a special envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum.”
WASHINGTON – The Senate and House have passed Sen. John Kennedy’s (R-La.) U.S. and Pacific Islands Forum Partnership Act as part of the annual National Defense Authorization Act. Kennedy’s legislation would combat Communist China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific region by establishing a special envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
“Beijing puts more economic and diplomatic pressure on the Pacific Island states each day, and America is out of time to talk about strategic solutions without implementing them. Congress has voted to take a clear, easy step to counter China’s communist antagonism by establishing a special envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum,” said Kennedy.
The bipartisan legislation includes 20 cosponsors, including lead co-sponsor Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).
The PIF is an international organization of Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island nations.
Communist China recognizes that these nations are strategically located in the Indo-Pacific region and has already established its own special envoy to the PIF. The U.S. took an equivalent diplomatic step by naming its own special envoy in Oct. 2022, but the position was not codified in law. With this bill, the position is now a permanent one that requires the Senate to confirm the special envoy role.
The role will elevate diplomacy in the region and have accountability to Congress. A special envoy would help answer a diversity of threats from the communist regime by deepening trust and increasing dialogue on the Pacific Islands’ economic, cyber security and military concerns.
Kennedy’s op-ed in Defense News is here.
Text of the legislation is available here.