The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries (M.A.F.) has clarified that the portion of land allocated by the Government of Samoa to build an office for the American Samoa Government in Samoa is located at Taumeasina in Moata'a, and not Moto'otua. 

Speaking to the Samoa Observer on Friday, La'auli Leuatea Schmidt said American Samoa has accepted the offer from the Samoan Government for their office to be built at Taumeasina instead of land in Vaoala. 

Initially, the Samoan Government allocated land in Avele for the U.S. territory's office in the country. However, the territory turned down the offer, saying it was too close to the yet-to-be-constructed Chinese Embassy.

At the end of the second Atoa o Samoa summit in Apia in October last year, Prime Minister, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa instructed the Minister for Natural Resources and Environment to look for new land in Apia.

The Chinese Embassy in Apia is currently located in Vailima on the opposite side of the road from the Le Manumea Hotel, which is further down the road from the Avele block of land the Samoa Government had initially earmarked for the territory to lease. 

It is understood the new premises of the Chinese Embassy is being built not far from Avele and is directly opposite the residence of the U.S. head of mission at Vailima. Under the outcomes document released to the media after the summit last October, the U.S. territory said it had asked for a "reconsideration of the Samoa Government in that regard”. 

No reasons were given by either the American Samoa Government or the Samoa Government on why the Pago Pago administration turned down the land identified for lease at Avele. 

However, Samoa and other Pacific island nations have been at the centre of geopolitical wrangling between China and the U.S. and its allies in recent years, with the American President Joe Biden meeting with regional leaders, including Prime Minister Fiame in Washington D.C. in September last year.