Blinken's Pacific Trip Aims to Counter China's Influence

Blinken will visit Tonga, New Zealand, and Australia from July 24-29.
The trip will focus on regional security cooperation and countering China's assertiveness in the Pacific.
Blinken will dedicate a new U.S. embassy in Tonga, a strategically important island amid tensions with China.
The U.S. plans to increase diplomatic personnel and spending for embassies in Pacific islands.
This is Blinken's third recent trip to Asia as the U.S. shifts its Indo-Pacific strategy into overdrive.