Proximity to China’s embassy in Samoa prompts concerns about ASG’s Samoa land

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The close proximity of the land allocated for the American Samoa Government in Samoa to the Chinese embassy, has prompted the US territory’s leaders to ask for another parcel.

However Samoa Consul General, Fata Brian Kaio said that is not an issue.

Fata confirmed this came up during the Atoa o Samoa executive talks held earlier this month, however ASG has nothing to worry about, there are a number of other government land parcels in Samoa they can chose from.

The land located at Vailima near Avele college is in walking distance to the Chinese Embassy and it’s part of the land swap with ASG, whereas the land for the Samoa Government in the territory is located at Petesa.

This is where the Samoa Consulate headquarters and chancery will be built.

 “Lands are not an issue for the Samoa Government and other Embassies in Samoa have requested to relocate and American Samoa can do the same. If they are not happy about this location, they have options to choose from,” said Fata.

In June, Governor Lemanu P. S. Mauga in a letter to the U.S President Joe Biden said that it is the time for the U.S to use American Samoa to increase America’s presence in the Pacific region.

The governor’s comments on China were included in his June 15 letter opposing the federal government’s proposed expansion of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM), which Lemanu says will have negative impact on the territory’s tuna industry.

In his letter to Biden, the governor pointed out, what he describes as “Strategic Interests”, when it comes to American Samoa, that fishing prohibitions not only weaken U.S. fisheries but also increase seafood imports and jeopardize U.S. food and national security.

He contends that the proposed PRIMNM expansion would continue to displace the U.S. fishing fleets to international waters where they must fish alongside and compete with foreign fishing fleets.

The governor claims that fishing vessels from China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan are regularly observed fishing the border of the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around American Samoa, Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands.

Furthermore, China continues to build up its longline fleet in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean which has increased from around 100 vessels in 2007 to over 520 now — catching approximately 50,000 metric tons of tuna annually.

Additionally, China’s fleet also includes 73 purse seine vessels. In comparison, there are 14 U.S.-flagged longline vessels and 13 U.S.- flagged purse seine vessels based in American Samoa, the governor said.

“China is making a concentrated effort to integrate its economic, diplomatic, military and technological might to expand its influence throughout the Pacific,” the governor wrote to Biden.

“This approach by China appears to be very effective, as evidenced by the recent bilateral agreements made with our Pacific neighbors, including the Independent State of Samoa,” he said.

The governor noted that reducing fishing grounds by expanding the marine monuments would aid this Chinese expansion by forcing U.S. fishing vessels out of U.S. waters.

“This is the time for the United States to use American Samoa to increase the U.S. presence in the Pacific region to provide security and economic development to the island nations presently seeking or signing bilateral agreements with China,” he declared.

Regarding the Atoa o Samoa talks, Fata said it was a success from Samoa’s point of view, when compared to the previous Talks.

 “Records from the previous talks indicated that it was more of meetings between the Government leaders at that time, whereas the current Talks, there are consultations between Ministers and Directors.

 “These are the people that will implement projects and programs that are approved in these Talks and therefore it was imperative for the Directors and Ministers to meet and collaborate,” he said.

To date there has been no communique issued on the results of the Atoa o Samoa Talks.

Governor Lemanu initially scheduled a press conference for Wednesday, Oct. 19, to address pending media inquiries about the Governor's fact-finding mission to South Korea, the Lions Park opening, the Atoa o Samoa Executive Meeting, and other updates as necessary; however it was cancelled.