As Washington increases its efforts to counter China’s growing influence in the region, Blinken visited the capital Nuku’alofa on Wednesday, making it the first US Secretary of State to pay an.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tonga on Tuesday to dedicate a new U.S. embassy. The new embassy is located in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, and was first opened in May. Tongan officials said Blinken’s visit shows the importance of the relationship between the two countries. Blinken will visit several countries in the Pacific region this week, including Tonga, Australia and New Zealand.
Antony Blinken on Wednesday became the first US secretary of state to visit Tonga, dedicating a new US embassy and warning South Pacific nations about the perils of "predatory" Chinese investment.
Antony Blinken on Wednesday became the first US secretary of state to visit Tonga, dedicating a new US embassy and warning South Pacific nations about the perils of "predatory" Chinese investment.Chinese state-controlled media painted Blinken's visit as evidence that the United States no longer had confidence in its ally Australia to manage relations with Pacific Island nations.