\u201cI think there\u2019s opportunities for us as we host those two respective forums to make a connectivity between the two, which I think would be in the benefit of everyone in the Pacific to have a strong connection to Asean and vice versa.\u201d <\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has been in Palau before Luxon\u2019s arrival and on Tuesday announced a deal between the US, New Zealand and the Cook Islands to build a major upgrade to the port in Penrhyn. The deep lagoon is of interest because it will enable the port to host large ships, including military ones.<\/p>\n
New Zealand will contribute $17.5 million and the US will contribute US$50m (about $84m). <\/p>\n
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced the project with Peters and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n
In a joint statement with Peters, Landau hinted the agreement related to US interest in Pacific critical minerals. The US has made no secret of its desire to build strong critical mineral supply chains, allowing it to diversify its supply of such material away from China. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis project underscores the United States\u2019 strong commitment to our partners in the Pacific and builds on the Critical Minerals Framework the United States and the Cook Islands agreed to earlier this year,\u201d Landau said.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Winston Peters (left), Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.<\/p>\n
But Luxon said the port was \u201ccompletely separate\u201d from the US\u2019 interest in critical minerals. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just generally about… critical infrastructure needed across the whole of the region,\u201d Luxon said, listing upgrades to ports, airports and critical energy infrastructure. <\/p>\n
\u201cNo, no \u2013 we\u2019ve been talking about partnering with the US on a project like this for some time.\u201d <\/p>\n
The port is in the spotlight because of increased geopolitical competition as the US and China vie for greater control of the region. The Cook Islands were themselves at the centre of such a spat when Brown entered into a deal with Beijing without consulting New Zealand, which the coalition viewed as a breach of longstanding agreements between the countries. <\/p>\n
This competition casts a shadow over the meeting in Palau, which is one of 12 countries that diplomatically recognises Taiwan. The self-governing island, which is claimed by China, has sent its Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung to Palau for the meeting. Taiwan has been a development partner of the forum since 1993. China lashed out at the invite and said there would be \u201cconsequences\u201d. <\/p>\n
One agenda item for the forum will be whether to issue a joint statement on the missile China launched into the Pacific in July. The missile was nuclear-capable but armed with a dummy warhead. New Zealand and Australia condemned the move.<\/p>\n
The PIF has been unable to issue a joint statement criticising China since the test. <\/p>\n