The USCGC Oliver Henry (WPC 1140) crew arrives in Manus, Papua New Guinea, on Aug. 14, 2022, from Guam as part of a patrol headed south to assist partner nations in upholding and asserting their sovereignty while protecting U.S. national interests. The U.S. Coast Guard is participating with partners to support the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency-led Operation Island Chief and the larger Operation Blue Pacific through patrols in the Western Pacific in August and September 2022. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by SW3 Victor Villanueva, NMCB-FOUR)

(Sorry, this is a couple of weeks old.)

The Defense Post reports,

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday announced the deployment of a US Coastguard ship to Papua New Guinea, as Washington seeks to boost its military footprint in the region amid fierce competition for influence with China…“A US Coastguard cutter will be here in August,” Austin said as he became the first Pentagon boss to visit Papua New Guinea.

Again, the Coast Guard is being used as an instrument of foreign policy. That is not a bad thing, but it is a fact.

It is not like the Coast Guard has not been there before. The photo is from 2022, but the US and Papua New Guinea are seeking closer, mutually beneficial ties.

For Papua New Guinea this means improvements to dual use (military and civilian) infrastructure (ports and airfields), increased economic activity, and help with preventing IUU fishing.

For the US, the diplomatic activity is prompted by Chinese attempts to obtain influence in Oceania that seemed to have been demonstrated when the Soloman Islands failed to respond to a request for a routine replenishment stop for USCGC Oliver Henry (pictured above).

Thanks to Paul for bringing this to my attention.