Guam generic Photo: RNZ Pacific / Eleisha Foon
A Guam senator is pushing for United States statehood out of concern that his island could be traded like a pawn in a global conflict.
Guam's legislature is set to debate a non-binding resolution to push for US statehood.
Senator William Parkinson, who introduced the proposal, said the idea of a war between the US and China, "with Guam smack down in the middle of it", keeps him up at night.
He said becoming a US state would best guarantee Guam's safety.
"States are forever, territories for empires are things that could be traded back and forth like chips in a pile, and I myself would not want to be some empires trading chip," Parkinson said.
He said China had already attacked Guam through the Chinese state-sponsored hacker group Volt Typhoon, and it is now a question of whether the conflict will escalate further.
"I believe that a conflict between the United States and China is inevitable, and if that conflict is inevitable, I want to make sure my island is prepared as best as it can."
The US territory Puerto Rico has attempted several times to become a state, but it has not been supported by Congress.
Senator Parkinson said Guam is the "tip of the spear" for the US military in the Pacific, unlike Puerto Rico.
"For the United States if they were to look at Guam as a state, they would not be doing it for the best interest of the Guamanian people they would be doing it for the best interest of the United States and their foreign interest."
Guam Legislature generic Photo: RNZ Pacific / Eleisha Foon
Hawai'i and Philippines were both territories during the second world war but Hawai'i was on the path to statehood. Parkinson said it shows how states and territories are treated differently and that territories are living on "borrowed time".
"When Hawai'i was attacked on the path to statehood, they were rebuilt to be an economic powerhouse and a fortress in the Pacific, when the Philippines was a US territory, and it was inconvenient for the United States to maintain their economy and defence, they were let go."
Melvin Won Pat-Borja, Guam's executive director of the Commission on Decolonization, said concern over Guam being impacted in a global conflict is legitimate but other political status options, free association and independence, could also provide security.
"Each one of the political status options provide a mechanism or an avenue for us to address our concerns around defence amidst a global conflict."
He points to compact of free association nations, Palau, Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia that have defence assurances from the US.
Robert Underwood Photo: RNZ Pacific / Eleisha Foon
Robert Underwood director of the Pacific Centre for Island security said Senator Parkinson's view is "warped" and he's pre-judging the Commission on Decolonization's process.
"It is one thing to say I want to explore statehood, it's another thing to say, I want statehood because I'm afraid of a war and in case there is a war, I'll be swallowed up," Underwood said.
"Well, I have news for people who think that way, whether Guam is a state or not, if there's a war between China and the United States, Guam will be gobbled up."
He said Senator Parkinson's concern of a war is also a bit overblown but acknowledged the international environment is uncertain.
"But in any case, being a territory of the United States, an unincorporated territory of the United States, doesn't mean that you have to pick sides in this conflict and accept your role as a pawn."
Underwood also said becoming a State is an enormous task, "it's like you're asking to be a member of a club and the club doesn't want you".
