Pacific Island pacts to counter Chinese influence

On Thursday night, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers introduced a joint resolution to implement deals that President Joe Biden’s administration recently concluded with the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau. Congress must swiftly pass legislation to implement strategic pacts with Pacific Island nations and counter Chinese aggression towards the Philippines, US House representatives from Guam and Hawaii . The agreements, collectively known as the Compacts of Free Association (Cofa), grant the US military access to the land, air and sea of the three countries in exchange for economic assistance and migration rights for those countries’ citizens for 20 years at a time. Will US be able to contain Chinese influence ?