Palau’s small nonviolent country has suggested the U.S. military build bases on its territory, which is in a domain where Washington is pushing back China’s developing influence.
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper visited island country week and accused Beijing of “ongoing destabilizing activities” in the Pacific.
Palau President Tommy Remengesau later revealed that he had told Esper that the U.S. military could build amenities in his country, an archipelago about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) east of the Philippines.
Although Palau is an independent nation, it has no armies and the United States stands for its defense Photo: THE PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS / MATT RAND
“Palau’s request to the U.S. military remains: build common-use amenities and then come and use them regularly,” he said in a letter to the U.S. defense leader published this week through his office.
The note, addressed to Esper and marked “by handover, Koror.Palau”, said that the country of another 22,000 people is open to house land bases, port facilities and airfields for the U.S. military.
Remengesau also recommended the presence of the U.S. Coast Guard in Palau to patrol its vast marine reserve, which covers ocean dominance throughout Spain and is difficult for the small nation to monitor.
While Palau is an independent nation, it has no army and the United States is guilty of protecting them from an agreement with Washington called the Compact of Free Association.
Picture: AFP / Gal ROMA
As a component of the agreement, the U.S. military has access to the islands, lately it has no troops permanently stationed there.
“We use compact mechanisms to identify a normal US military presence in Palau,” Remengesau said.
“The right of the United States army to identify defense sites in the Republic of Palau has been underutilized in the Covenant.”
In the letter, Palau President Tommy Remengesau said that “destabilizing actors have already mobilized to exploit” the economic crises linked to the virus of small island nations.Photo: AFP / Angela Weiss
He said bases in Palau would not only increase the readiness of the U.S. military, but also the local economy, which is suffering as the Covid-19 pandemic has stopped tourism, its main industry.
Palau was the scene of bloody fighting between U.S. and Japanese World War II forces, but Washington targeted bases in the Philippines and Guam after the war.
A U.S. Army radar facility is planned to be installed.But it’s not the first time In Palau, but the structure has been suspended due to the pandemic, as the island country needs to be virus-free.
In addition to its close ties to the United States, Palau is also one of Taiwan’s remaining four allies in the Pacific and 15 in the world.
China, which sees Taiwan as part of its territory, tried to win over Taipei’s allies in the Pacific, persuading the Solomon Islands and Kiribati to transfer sides last year.
Palau refused, which led Beijing to ban its tourists from visiting the country in 2018.
Without naming China, Remengesau told Esper that “destabilizing actors already have the complex of taking advantage of” the economic crises related to the virus that small island nations are experiencing.
“Mr. Secretary, it has been a great relief to hear from you and other senior American officials the complex security truth of the Indo-Pacific, which is as threatened by a predatory economy as by the aggression of the military,” he wrote.
During the Esper stopover last week, which lasted only 3 hours, Remengesau said China provides reasonable loans to island nations to earn its loyalty.
“It has an effect on how other people understand the appointments with those who help them,” he said.