POHNPEI, Micronesia: Mike Pompeo became the first US Secretary of State to visit Micronesia Monday , as Washington's signalled a renewed interest in its Pacific allies, no matter how small, in the face of regional competition with China.
"It's still a major strategic area, and this isn't new," said a senior State Department official noting past ties."Now, the level of interaction is clearly elevated." Hugging the equator, the Federated States of Micronesia are scattered along nearly 3,000km of the Pacific, a significant area given Sino-American disputes over freedom of navigation in ocean waterways.Washington is no stranger to the Federation - which brings together four island states and more than 600 islands and atolls - thanks to a compact that guarantees US development aid and military protection.