Palau president hits out at China as re-election confirmed
Al Jazeera
The president says Chinese research vessels keep coming to Palau’s waters.
The pro-Western president of Palau has hit out at China as his re-election was confirmed.
The electoral committee formally declared President Surangel Whipps Jr’s victory in the vote on Wednesday. He was quick to double down on his pro-US credentials as he joined the chorus of complaints over China’s maritime claims.
The results showed that Whipps won 5,626 votes, defeating his brother-in-law Tommy Remengesau, who received 4,103 votes in the November 5 election.
The count hands the incumbent a second term leading the island nation of about 20,000 people. Located in the Pacific Ocean between the spheres of influence of Washington and Beijing, Palau is an important US ally and among a dozen diplomatic allies of Taiwan.
On having his victory confirmed, Whipps said in a statement he would seek to diversify the economy and protect the environment.
