Key facts
- Palauans fear being caught in a geopolitical power game between the US and China.
- The US is undertaking a $500 million project to expand a port and airfield in Palau.
- The construction aims to berth US Navy ships and widen an airfield for heavy aircraft.
- Locals are concerned about becoming a target and the environmental impact on dugongs and lagoons.
- A petition signed by 2,000 people seeks safety assurances from Washington.
- Palau receives significant US funding under a compact of free association in return for territorial access.
Palauans are expressing anxiety over their nation's increasing prominence in the geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China. The US is undertaking a significant military construction project to rebuild and expand a port and airfield on Peleliu Island, a move that has stirred painful memories of World War II and raised fears of becoming a target in a potential superpower conflict. The $500 million project aims to berth US Navy ships and widen the airfield for heavy aircraft, with plans also including a crisis-ready stockpile for US Marines.
Residents, like Madelsar Ngiraingas, are concerned about their safety and the potential environmental impact on vulnerable dugongs and World Heritage turquoise lagoons. While US officials have presented the port's benefits using images of cruise ships, the underlying military purpose has not eased all local anxieties. Ongerung Kambes Kesolei, founder of the Congress Point Institute, noted that with the US military presence, Palau has become a target due to its role in the "second island chain."
A petition signed by 2,000 people has been sent to Palau's congress, seeking assurances from Washington regarding the population's safety should conflict reach their shores. The construction is the first significant US military activity under the compact of free association, which grants the US territorial access in exchange for significant funding and visa-free rights for Palauans.