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During his visit to Palau last week, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper accused Beijing of “destabilizing operations” in the Pacific, according to AFP.
Later, Palau President Tommy Remengesau sent a letter to Esper’s minister welcoming US troops to build bases in this island nation, located about 1,500 km east of the Philippines.
“We make a simple requirement for the US military: build common-use bases, then the US military can come and use them regularly,” Remengesau wrote in a letter he delivered. hand to Minister Esper during the visit to Palau. The Palau Office published the letter on September 3.
Palau is an independent state but has no armed forces and the United States is responsible for defending the island nation under the Treaty of Free Links (COFA). According to COFA, the US military has access to Palau, but does not currently have a permanent force there.
“We should use COFA to establish a permanent US military presence in Palau. The US military has the right to establish defense facilities in the Republic of Palau,” according to President Remengesau.
In addition to its close relationship with the United States, Palau is one of Taiwan’s four remaining allies in the Pacific. Mainland China, which sees Taiwan as part of a territory pending reunification, has tried to persuade Pacific countries to cut ties with Taiwan in favor of Beijing.
However, Palau rejected China’s offer and Beijing later banned citizens from traveling to the country in 2018. Although it did not name China by name, Palau told the Defense Minister. The United States believes that “destabilizers” have taken advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to increase influence over small Pacific island nations.
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