I am clearly aware that I must make the argument not only in terms of preventing war and saving lives, but in terms of how we can fill the gap that would occur if we were to turn off the flow of money from China.
David Panuelo
The Public Record
President of the Federated States of Micronesia (2019-present)
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October 18, 2023
I am acutely aware that informing you all of this presents risks to my personal safety; the safety of my family; and the safety of the staff I rely on to support me in this work.
— David Panuelo
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…
At worst in the short-term, it means we sell our country and our sovereignty for temporary personal benefit.
So, what does it really look like when so much of our Government's senior officials and elected officials choose to advance their own personal interest in lieu of the national interest?
One of the reasons that China's Political Warfare is successful in so many arenas is that we are bribed to be complicit, and bribed to be silent.
The FSM says 'no', and our sovereignty is disrespected, with the PRC saying we have achieved a consensus when we have not.
Let's be clear, Foreign Affairs will prepare a letter to say 'no' to the Chinese vaccines. Our answer should be very clear that, while we appreciate the offer, the answer is no because we have more than enough vaccines.
To say it again: China has established a precedent of taking our private citizens in multilateral meetings to formally represent our country without our Government's awareness or approval thereof.
You can imagine my surprise when I was followed this past July in Fiji during the Pacific Islands Forum by two Chinese men; my further surprise when it was determined that they worked for the Chinese Embassy in Suva; my even further…
We understand that [China's choice for Ambassador to FSM] Mr. Wu would, upon his arrival, be given the mission of preparing the FSM to shift away from its partnerships with traditional allies such as the U.S., Japan, and Australia.
Our Nation's broader foreign policy outlook--that we are a friend to all, and an enemy to none--is consistent with that of Solomon Islands.