Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been in the Federated States of Micronesia meeting with its president and leaders from Palau and the Marshall Islands.
He said the Compact of Free Association agreements - due to expire in 2024 - are crucial for Washington's Pacific allies.
"They sustain important economic assistance with the people in these countries. They sustain democracy and human rights in the face of Chinese attempts to redraw the Pacific in its authoritarian image.
