U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday after meetings with his Australian counterpart that he was confident South Pacific nations would choose the United States as an ally over China, despite Beijing's growing clout in the region.
"I think the South Pacific, like most places in the world, understands the enormity of having an American ally — a country that consistently over decades projects the democratic values," Pompeo told a news conference after meetings with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
"The human dignity that comes with having an American partner is different from having partners that aren't quite that way. I think over time that will ultimately prevail, not only in the South Pacific, but all across the world," he added.