Palau president vows to resist Beijing pressure to ditch Taiwan

Name: Palau president on recognising Taiwan over China: “We have a right to choose what we believe”
Uploaded: 2021-04-07T06:27:27.000Z
Duration: 1 min 40 s
Description: Palau president on recognising Taiwan over China: “We have a right to choose what we believe”

The Pacific nation still recognises Taiwan over China, something Surangel Whipps is adamant will not change under his watch despite Beijing’s demand

The president said he is keen to see more US military bases in Palau as Washington tries to shore up alliances in the region to counter China’s clout

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Palau President Surangel Whipps. Photo: AP

Agence France-Presse

Published: 2:27pm, 7 Apr 2021Updated: 8:50am, 8 Apr 2021

He leads one of the world’s smallest nations, but Surangel Whipps says Palau will not be bullied by anyone into deciding its future – least of all by China.

Whipps, 52, became Palau’s president last year after defeating an opponent who favoured closer ties with Beijing.

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Palau president on recognising Taiwan over China: “We have a right to choose what we believe”

The Pacific nation of around 21,000 people is one of just 15 countries that still recognise Taiwan over China, something Whipps is adamant will not change under his watch despite Beijing’s pressure campaign.

“If we were the last man standing we should be because Taiwan has been with us from the beginning,” he said after returning from a trip to Taipei, where the two allies set up a coronavirus travel bubble for tourists.

China claims self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if needed.