Marshall Islands president accuses China of backing opponents, fuelling political crisis to secure remote atoll
- Vote of no confidence in leader Hilda Heine, the first female leader of any Pacific Island, is scheduled for next week
- Her opponents have accused her of putting the country’s financial reputation at risk with the adoption of a cryptocurrency
Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine said accusations that she is destroying the country’s financial reputation by adopting a cryptocurrency are “baseless” and her opponents are being unduly influenced by pressure from China.
Earlier this week eight senators moved to pass a vote of no confidence in Heine, the first female leader of any Pacific Island. The vote is expected to take place next week.
Heine’s opponents said she had put the country’s financial reputation into disrepute by pushing ahead with the adoption of the cryptocurrency called Sovereign as the country’s second legal tender, despite strident warnings from the International Monetary Fund to drop the “risky” plan.
Heine initially refused to comment on the threat to her leadership but on Friday said the accusations against her were “baseless” and that her opponents were working on China’s behalf to secure a remote Marshall Islands atoll and turn it into a “country within our own country”.
We are a small country and it is easy for foreign elements to influence individual people
The Marshall Islands, located about halfway between Hawaii and Australia, gained its independence in 1986 after four decades under US administration.