Relationship dossier
Kiribati
United States
Relationship assessment
Established ties, a sovereignty settlement and renewed US engagement support a generally cooperative relationship.
Kiribati toward United States
+20Kiribati has maintained diplomatic relations with the United States and engaged in bilateral cooperation. Its 2019 decision to recognize China rather than Taiwan marked a shift in external alignment, though that change alone does not establish hostility toward the United States.
United States toward Kiribati
+35The United States recognized Kiribati's sovereignty through a bilateral treaty settling claims over several islands, has provided assistance, and reopened its embassy in Tarawa in 2023.
Overall relationship
+30The relationship has a durable foundation in diplomatic ties and a bilateral sovereignty settlement, alongside US assistance and renewed diplomatic engagement. Kiribati's growing relationship with China is a relevant strategic context, but the available facts do not indicate that it has displaced the cooperative bilateral foundation.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Kiribati and the United States have maintained diplomatic relations since Kiribati's independence. A bilateral treaty settled sovereignty claims over several islands, and the United States has provided assistance and renewed its diplomatic presence in Tarawa. Kiribati's 2019 switch from recognizing Taiwan to recognizing China changed its external alignment, but does not by itself establish a direct dispute with the United States.
Key developments
The United States and Kiribati concluded a treaty settling US claims to certain islands and recognizing Kiribati's sovereignty.
The United States reopened its embassy in Tarawa.
Kiribati switched recognition from Taiwan to China.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of current bilateral assistance and cooperation are unclear.
- The effects of Kiribati's closer relations with China on bilateral cooperation with the United States are uncertain.