After the US military launched Joint Task Force Micronesia in June, several US leaders including Senator Manchin have shown their support for security cooperation through official visits.
On June 14, 2024, Joint Task Force Micronesia (JTF-M) became the first two-star command in northern Oceania in over 70 years. During this inauguration, Rear Admiral Gregory Huffman, a 1989 graduate of the US Naval Academy and Defense Superior Service Medal recipient, was named Commander of JTF-M. In terms of military capabilities, Rear Admiral Huffman noted that JTF-M is an “additive change” that builds on Joint Region Marianas, an existing one-star command.
A two-star command is operated by a Rear Admiral, which is the highest naval rank maintained during peacetime and can command a fleet of Navy ships, submarines, and air wings. The JTF-M will oversee operations in US territories like Guam, Northern Marianas Islands, and Wake Island as well as the sovereign countries of Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia.
What has the US done recently to engage with Micronesia?
On March 9, 2024, Biden signed the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2023. This renewed the Compacts of Free Association (COFA), which are existing agreements that foster close economic and military partnerships with the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. Under these renewed compacts, the US is set to give $7.1 billion of mandatory funding to these countries for a period of twenty years.
This renewal came after bipartisan efforts from the Indo-Pacific Task Force, which conducts oversight on issues facing the US territories and COFA states. In a press release about the renewal, the task force’s chairman, Rep. Bruce Westerman (Arkansas), said COFA “has been a top priority” because of the “malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party” in the region. However, there was significant bipartisan support for the renewal of COFA. 26 Senators on both sides of the political aisle signed an open letter urging for the renewal of COFA.
Since the renewal of COFA and the establishment of JTF-M, various US officials have traveled to the region to promote further cooperation. On October 4, 2023, a bilateral delegation consisting of Senator Joe Machin (West Virginia), Senator Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Rep. Wiley Nickel (North Carolina), and Rep. Greg Pence (Indiana) began a five-day trip to Koror, Palau. In a meeting with President Surangel Whipps Jr. of Palau, President Wesley Simina of the Federated States of Micronesia, and Minister Jess Gasper, Jr of the Marshall Islands, the US delegation expressed their continued support of Pacific Island nations.
During this time, a separate Congressional Staff Delegation led by Deputy General Counsel John Noh arrived in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia on October 7, 2024. The delegation conducted a site visit related to US military projects in the region. On October 21, 2024, Kaitlin Kleiber, military policy advisor to Senator Tim Kaine (Virginia), led another delegation to Guam, where the staff toured key military construction projects. This series of visits demonstrates that interest in cooperation within Micronesia spans party and state lines.
What does Micronesia gain from this partnership?
Under COFA, the Marshall Islands, Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia can receive a series of economic benefits. In 2023, the US gave COFA states $232 million in grant assistance, which is about 80% of all US assistance to the Pacific Islands region. Additionally, citizens of COFA countries benefit from visa-free travel and work in the United States. While living in the US, these residents can also receive social services, such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, if they meet eligibility requirements. Aside from financial assistance, the US must also protect COFA states from all forms of aggression and terrorism.
Why is the US increasing its involvement in Micronesia?
Recently, American interest in the region stems from China’s increased involvement in economic and political affairs within the Pacific Islands. In 2008, a Chinese officer made an alarming tongue-in-cheek comment suggesting that the US “take Hawaii east” while China “take Hawaii west [sic].” Since then, China has increased its influence within the region. In 2018, China implemented a tourism ban on state-run group tour packages to Palau over an alleged disagreement with the island nation’s diplomatic recognition of Taiwan. In 2024, President Whipps Jr. said that China has increased pressure by intruding into Palau’s exclusive economic zone and excluding Palau from the annual Pacific Asia Travel Association in Macau. Aside from economic influence, China has allegedly sent gifts and bribes to officials in the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.
This has led officials like Senator Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) to say that COFA is “extremely important” as the US continues to counter “China’s growing influence in the Pacific.” Because of COFA, the US possesses the exclusive right to establish, operate, and administer military posts in Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia. As a result, the US can deny China access to the territorial waters of COFA states, which is a maritime area larger than the continental United States. This is a crucial advantage since the region of Micronesia is nearest to China. Moreover, individuals from COFA states enlist in the US military at higher rates than US citizens.
What will future US-Micronesia relations look like?
First, we can expect that the US will steadily increase military investments in the region. To enable Agile Combat Employment, the Air Force plans to spend $400 million to extend its runway and expand facilities on the island of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia. The US has scheduled an initial investment of $96 million for 2025. Furthermore, the US has discussed the idea of opening a new military site in Peleliu, Palau.
However, this increase in military cooperation may face some turbulence. Recently, US efforts to build a long-range radar system in Palau by 2026 have faced construction issues that may delay the completion until 2030. On the part of our Pacific partners, there may be increased distrust after the US missed the deadline to renew COFA in 2023. Moreover, President Simina of the Federated States of Micronesia said his country is still “awaiting further guidance from the Social Security Administration” about the rollout of benefits. Without a strong implementation of COFA, these nations may begin to doubt the US’s commitment to the region.
Daniel Salgado-Alvarez is a Fall 2024 Young Professional at the East-West Center. He is a recent graduate from Harvard University, where he studied sociology and East Asian studies.