The Straits Times reported tonight: "Last month, Palau's President Surangel Whipps Jr. accused Beijing of testing a ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, claiming it was intended to intimidate Pacific island nations. This week, he further expressed his hope that Pacific island countries would form a 'united front' over China's recent test of an intercontinental ballistic missile. On Tuesday (August 18), China's Foreign Ministry, without naming Whipps directly, criticized his remarks as baseless, malicious in intent, and not worth responding to."
Palau, with a population of fewer than 20,000, is one of the few Pacific island nations still maintaining so-called diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Whipps himself has repeatedly visited Taiwan and has deep ties with the DPP authorities. The upcoming Pacific Island Forum is set to be held in Palau this year, yet prior foreign ministers’ meetings failed to produce a joint statement condemning China. Whipps’s sudden outburst now, attempting to steer public opinion and set the narrative, clearly reflects incitement and direction from the DPP authorities, willingly serving as a mouthpiece and vanguard for 'Taiwan independence' forces on the international stage.
However, the one-China principle is a universal consensus within the international community. Any attempt to challenge this principle is destined to fail. Palau’s politically theatrical defiance of the global trend cannot alter any facts.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873871276770311/
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