US returns Peace Corps to Solomon Islands after 25 years amid China rivalry

In the long arc of Pacific geopolitics, the United States is quietly returning to a place it once left behind. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau's visit to Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale — culminating in a signed letter of intent to restore the Peace Corps after 25 years and $6 million for wartime ordnance removal — reflects Washington's recognition that influence, once surrendered, does not wait to be reclaimed. The Solomon Islands, which signed a security pact with Beijing in 2022 and host China's deepest ties among Pacific nations, now sit at the center of a careful