July 11, 2023 | The Dispatch
China Tries to Flip an American Ally
Palau could be critical in a fight over Taiwan—and Beijing knows it.
July 11, 2023 | The Dispatch
China Tries to Flip an American Ally
Palau could be critical in a fight over Taiwan—and Beijing knows it.
Excerpt
NGERULMUD, Palau—A tiny Pacific island nation with a population of 18,000 that few Americans can find on the map could be pivotal to defending Taiwan from a Chinese invasion. Even as the Pentagon builds capacity on Palau, however, China is hard at work trying to undermine the U.S.-aligned government—or even flip it.
Older Americans remember Palau for the brutal World War II battles of Angaur (nearly 200 American deaths) and Peleliu (more than 1,500 American deaths). Today it’s a remote but somewhat popular destination for divers, who relish the country’s pristine coral reefs. But the U.S. military sees value here because it is a mere three-and-half hour flight from Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. Such proximity could prove useful for stationing air and sea vessels, not to mention personnel.
Jonathan Schanzer is senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Follow him on Twitter @JSchanzer. FDD is a nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.