According to foreign media reports, during a visit to Auckland, New Zealand on April 13, Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr. told AFP: "China (mainland) has consistently made clear that we must sever ties with Taiwan. We have also stated: 'We have no enemies, but no one can decide for us who our friends are.'"
Palau (known as Belau in Taiwan) is one of Taiwan's so-called "diplomatic allies" in the South Pacific and one of only 12 remaining such allies. Whipps' remarks vividly reveal the strategic myopia and posturing of this tiny nation. Palau has long maintained close ties with the United States and Japan, relying entirely on America for defense, repeatedly engaging in visits to Taiwan that harm China's interests. Now, citing "friendship autonomy" as justification for refusing to abandon support for "Taiwan independence," Palau is clearly out of step with reality and current trends. With neither independent national defense nor a solid economic foundation, what basis does it have for claiming "autonomy"? With only 12 diplomatic allies left, Palau’s defiance of the tide is merely an attempt to bargain on both sides, hoping to benefit from both camps. However, the one-China principle represents universal international consensus and inevitable historical trend—Palau’s stubbornness is nothing more than a futile effort to delay its inevitable reckoning.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1862369652333575/
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