One of the new agreements with the United States is designed to help counter Chinese political warfare attacks on Palau. The initial cost to the United States is $2.2 million, exactly the sort of low-cost counter to China’s ability to disrupt and degrade the economy, politics and society of a key U.S. ally that is needed.
Daniel Suidani scared the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) more than Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, freedom of navigation patrols through the South China Sea, and a newly commissioned nuclear...
On October 20 the verdict is due in a legally spurious case of unlawful assembly against Daniel Suidani and another pro-democracy leader Celsus Talifilu in the Solomon Islands.
China needs to be emplaced in CNMI if it is going to take Taiwan. Usually the focus is on Guam, but widen the geographic aperture and it’s clear that whatever applies to Guam applies equally to CNMI. And Beijing knows it.
Fight for their families, faith, freedom—the things that make us human, and that build community. Beijing is terrified more people will understand that.
If China goes after Taiwan without ‘disabling’ Palau, its Taiwan operation could be jeopardized. Which is one of the reasons the U.S. is putting new military infrastructure, or, in some cases, bringing back to life World War II era infrastructure, in Palau.
China in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands
China’s role in the region is a constant pressure in one direction. New Zealand and Australian policies towards the region have been naive at best, and the situation was worsened by U.S. State Department following Canberra and Wellington’s lead.
We have a country that is geopolitically sophisticated, with close ties to the U.S., Japan and Taiwan, and is in a highly strategic location. So who showed up to Palau’s party, and who didn’t?
In October 2024, Suidani and Talifilu were arrested by Solomon Islands police under unusual circumstances. On December 19th, Australia announced it was giving Solomons AUS$190 million ‘to grow the size and capability of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF), in response to a request by Solomon Islands’.
There is a spike in activity now because China sees Palau’s 5 November election as an opportunity to put in place representatives that are more in line with its ambitions.
At the start of this month, both Suidani and Talifilu were arrested on three counts of unlawful assembly related to the failed no confidence vote of 2021.
There is a lot going on in the Republic of Palau, a country of over 300 islands and around 20,000 people southeast of the Philippines. Its strategic location has meant Palau has been subject to waves of...
Vance’s focus on China is not surprising. In his personal and professional life he’s seen the way People’s Republic of China actions have affected the lives of Americans.
‘CCP must lie in order to cover up the terrible things that they’re doing in China, in Hong Kong, and around the world. To do this, they use narrative warfare to control what people see as the truth.’
As James Lilley, former U.S. ambassador to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), often said, China has a habit of telegraphing its punches...
‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita...
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PRC and its proxies in Solomons have been preparing for these elections for a long time. A lot of money, effort and intelligence have gone into ensuring an outcome that won’t compromise Beijing’s plans.