Tensions rise between FSM and China

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David Panuelo
FSM President David Panuelo

Outgoing President for the Federated States of Micronesia, David Panuello, is accusing that China is looking to invade the independent nation of Taiwan.

Panuelo is further accusing the major superpower of also engaging in bribery and political interference with the FSM – which according to CNN News, is done so as an attempt to make sure that FSM remains neutral in the event of war.

Outgoing FSM President – David Panuello recently made local and national headlines as he released his 13 page letter against the People’s Republic of China.

Within his letter Panuello writes, “It is a matter of intelligence, gleaned from the no public PRC whitepaper, that President Xi Jinping has instructed the People’s Liberation Army to be prepared for an invasion of Taiwan.”

The outgoing President does acknowledge that he does not know if China will invade at that time or at all, but he does state, “we do know that the PRC intends to be prepared for the invasion by that time.”

Penuelo further alleging China of bribing the FSM, saying “one of the reason that China’s Political Warfare is successful in so many arenas is that we are bribed to be complicit, and bribed to be silent.”

And further pens that elected officials are receiving checks for public projects that their National Treasury has nor record or means of accounting for.

And accuses that officials are also receiving envelopes filled with money.

According to CNN International Correspondent Selina Wang, China is calling the letter, “smears and accusations.”

Wang telling CNN that, “this is not the he’s spoken out before on China’s growing influence in the region. And the context of this letter is increasing fears from regional powers about exactly that. Military strategists see the pacific island’s location as this key connector between the US territory of Guam and Australia. If both the US an Australia are concerned about China’s more assertive, increasingly assertive and aggressive posture in the South China Sea as it’s been extending its reach further West into Pacific Waters including towards Micronesia.”

President Panuello, according to his letter, also suggests to cut ties with China saying, “if I am to make the argument that our country is the target of Political Warfare so as to prepare our country and region to align ourselves with China prior to their invasion of Taiwan, I must also make the argument that our country can obtain a better deal without China.”

And looks to fill the hole that China would leave, by increasing relations with the nation of Taiwan.

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News Director for the Pacific News Center, Don was born and raised on the island of Saipan and moved to Guam in the Spring of 2016 to pursue higher education at the University of Guam. It was at UOG that Don discovered his passion for keeping his peers politically informed. In his free time, you can find him flying his drone or doing landscape and portrait photography. Don joined the PNC News Team to broaden his writing, and to challenge himself to get in front of the camera. Don’s ultimate goal and passion is to have a well informed and politically engaged Marianas.