Prime Minister Chris Hipkins may be invited to meet with Joe Biden in Port Moresby next month if a proposed meeting of Pacific Leaders with the United States President goes ahead.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) officials have confirmed planning is under way for the US President to make a historicvisit to PNG on May 22, en route from the G7 meeting in Japan to Australia, as the US continues to ramp up its diplomatic push in the Pacific.
New Zealand officials confirmed to the Herald their expectation that Hipkins could be invited to join other Pacific leaders at the May meeting. This rather than a side meeting at the Sydney Opera House on May 24 when Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hosts Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Kishada Fumio for a Quad Leaders’ Summit. It will be Biden’s first visit to Australia as US President.
While there is clearly time in the schedule for the US President to also visit New Zealand en route to Sydney, the security challenges will be immense.
He has already confirmed an audience with King Charles and a meeting with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak while he is in London for the coronation which takes place from 10pm (NZT) on Saturday, May 6.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has a busy month ahead on the global stage. Photo / Michael Neilson
Last year the King held a 10-minute meeting with former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the time of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. He has yet to meet formally with Hipkins, one of 15 leaders of Commonwealth realm countries many of whom will attend the coronation.
New Zealand signed a high quality, comprehensive free trade agreement with the UK - one of the world’s largest economies and an important, long-standing partner - on February 28, 2022.
It is expected the two PMs will jointly celebrate the United Kingdom-New Zealand free trade agreement when they meet at Downing Street. This is in its final stages of ratification in the UK (having already been ratified in New Zealand) - a requirement before the FTA comes into force.
Security challenges
Security challenges will be to the fore if the Port Moresby meeting is confirmed.
PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko told Reuters planning for the Biden visit – which includes the meeting with Pacific leaders - was under way but not yet confirmed.
If the trip is confirmed, Biden will become the first sitting US President — at least in recent history — to visit any Pacific Island nation, excluding US territories in the region.
Chris Hipkins could follow Jacinda Ardern in meeting with US President Joe Biden. Photo / file
At a White House summit for Pacific leaders last year, the US promised more than US$130 million to help Pacific nations to tackle climate challenges - this part of an overall US$1.2 billion 10-year commitment.
Tkatchenko also told the ABC earlier this month that the US and PNG were finalising a Defence Cooperation Agreement after talks between officials in Hawaii and PNG earlier this year.
“We have an understanding to ensure that our defence capabilities are enhanced through training, infrastructure, asset improvement,” Tkatchenko said.
“It’s about building up our capabilities. That’s very important.”
Fourteen Pacific leaders will also meet in Port Moresby on May 22 with India’s Prime Minister Modi.
The US has repeatedly insisted that its renewed interest in the region is not driven by a desire to push back against China’s influence, but because it wants to contribute to stability in the region while helping Pacific Island nations tackle serious threats such as climate change and illegal fishing.
Biden’s visit would also come against the heightened geo-strategic competition between Washington and Beijing across the region. While the US has insisted its renewed interest is driven by a desire to help Pacific Island nations tackle serious threats such as climate change and illegal fishing - the reality is the jockeying with China is an underlying driving force.
