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SYDNEY/WASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) – The U.S. is disillusioned Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is not going to attend a Pacific Islands summit with U.S. President Joe Biden subsequent week, the White Home stated on Saturday.

Biden will host a second summit with leaders of the Pacific Islands Discussion board on the White Home on Monday as a part of his efforts to step up engagement with a area the place the U.S. is in a battle for affect with China.

The summit with the 18-member discussion board will happen on Monday and Tuesday in Washington.

“We’re disillusioned that PM Sogavare of the Solomons doesn’t plan to attend,” a Biden Administration official stated.

The Australian broadcaster ABC reported Solomon Islands Overseas Minister Jeremiah Manele will attend the summit as an alternative.

The Solomon Islands Prime Ministers Workplace didn’t reply to a Reuters request for remark.

Sogavare spoke on the United Nations Common Meeting on Friday in New York, the place he praised China’s improvement cooperation as “much less restrictive, extra responsive and aligned to our nationwide wants”, and stated Beijing was its lead infrastructure accomplice.

Sogavare stated he reached an understanding with President Xi Jinping throughout a July go to to China for Solomon Islands to attain improvement by China’s insurance policies, together with the Belt and Highway Initiative and International Safety Initiative.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Sato Kilman additionally is not going to attend the assembly, an official from his workplace informed Reuters on Friday, as a result of all Vanuatu authorities lawmakers must be in parliament on Monday for a no-confidence vote.

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Belief Ideas.