US, Australia Announce $65 Million Submarine Cable in the Pacific

U.S. President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shake hands in the Oval Office before a bilateral meeting at the White House in Washington on Oct. 25, 2023. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The United States and Australia will partner in a major submarine cable project in the Pacific amid a growing presence by the Beijing regime in the region.

President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the two nations would work with Google on a $65 million (AU$103 million) project connecting multiple Pacific Island nations to the internet.

These include Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Nauru, Vanuatu, Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu.

Amid growing Beijing’s influence, the United States is aiming to strengthen Indo-Pacific deterrence via the Pacific Deterrence Initiative.

U.S. President Joe Biden (R) welcomes Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on Oct. 25, 2023. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

“Today we announce that the United States and Australia plan to co‑finance critical maritime infrastructure projects in Kiribati, including the rehabilitation of Kanton Wharf and Charlie Wharf in Tarawa.” President Biden and Mr. Albanese said in a joint statement.

“The US Government, working with the US Congress, and Australia through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific, intend to provide $65 million (USD) to finance future submarine cable connectivity for Pacific Island countries, to assist access to global markets and realization of regional connectivity goals.

“Building on existing support to the region, this work will position all Pacific Island countries to achieve primary connectivity and for countries with existing access to secure options for critical redundancy.

“Together, the United States and Australia will engage Pacific Island nations to develop and deploy a pilot initiative in the region to increase national cyber resilience, to include upgraded data services and cloud-based back-ups.”

Senior Biden administration officials earlier had flagged that a major submarine cable project was in the works.

President Biden and Mr. Albanese have been holding talks over multiple days in Washington as part of an official state visit. Australia will contribute $50 million (AU$79 million) to the project via the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility.

Both governments will work with Google, APTelecom, and Hawaiki Nui to provide branching units for the Pacific Island nations.

The project builds on current investments by Australia, the United States, and other Quad alliance partners in telecommunications and infrastructure in the Pacific, the White House noted in a fact sheet.

In June, Japan announced that it had joined with the United States and Australia on a $95 million (AU$150 million) undersea cable project for the Indo-Pacific region.

New Innovation Alliance

The announcement is part of a new “innovation alliance” between the two countries.

“We, President Biden and Prime Minister Albanese, inaugurated a new era of U.S.–Australia strategic cooperation during the Prime Minister’s Official Visit and State Dinner in Washington, D.C., today,” the two leaders said.

“As our alliance cooperation reaches new heights, we are expanding our partnership into new domains to reflect the evolution of our relationship and the growing complexity of global and regional challenges.

“At the core of our cooperation is a shared commitment to a peaceful, open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”

U.S. President Joe Biden (R) and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hold a press conference in the White House Rose Garden in Washington on Oct. 25, 2023. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Speaking at a joint press conference, President Biden further touted the strong alliance between Australia and the United States and its role in the Pacific.

“The alliance between Australia and the United States is an anchor—and I believe this with every fiber of my being—an anchor to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and, quite frankly, around the world,” he said.

“We see this through our work of the Quad partners—India and Japan—to ensure the Indo-Pacific remains free, open, prosperous, and secure.”

They also discussed the Israel–Hamas conflict, Beijing, clean energy, innovation, and the AUKUS partnership.

While in the United States, Mr. Albanese also announced a $1.26 billion (AU$2 billion) boost to critical minerals. Both countries have also established a climate-critical minerals and clean energy compact to “elevate” climate cooperation.

On Oct. 24, Microsoft announced that it would spend $3.16 billion (AU$5 billion) on cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) in Australia. The software giant said it’s the biggest single investment it had made in Australia over a history spanning 40 years.

As part of the investment, Microsoft will train an AI workforce in Australia and build cyber security capabilities in the country.

On Oct. 24, the two leaders shared a private dinner, together with First Lady Jill Biden and Mr. Albanese’s partner, Jodie Haydon.

An official state dinner with 300 guests at the White House was followed by a joint press conference and more talks between the leaders during the day.