The US opened an embassy in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu amid competition with China for influence in the Asia-Pacific region, reported Reuters, quoted by BTA.
"The opening of the embassy builds on our efforts to provide a greater diplomatic presence throughout the region and continue to strengthen our ties with our Pacific neighbors," the US State Department said in a statement.
The United States has opened embassies in the Solomon Islands and Tonga, with plans to open an embassy in Kiribati, a State Department official said in March.
Washington is working to boost its diplomatic presence in the Pacific to counter what it sees as a growing threat from China, its main strategic rival. In February, the US warned Pacific island nations not to accept help from Chinese security forces after Reuters reported that there were Chinese police in Kiribati.
Chinese police have been stationed in the Solomon Islands since 2022 following a secret security pact that the US and Australia described as undermining regional stability. Concerns have also been raised about workers in military uniforms in Vanuatu after a Chinese company began logging there.