Antony Blinken visits Tonga, warns of ‘predatory’ Chinese aid

Antony Blinken, the United States secretary of state, has pledged to step up support for Pacific nations and reiterated a warning about the perils of “predatory” Chinese investment as he dedicated a new embassy in the island nation of Tonga.

Blinken’s visit to Nuku’alofa on Wednesday makes him the first US Secretary of State to pay an official visit to Tonga and comes as Washington ramps up efforts to counter China’s growing influence in the region.