Nestled in the western Pacific, Palau’s serene waters and vibrant marine life once drew throngs of tourists, particularly from China. However, the tourism boom that peaked between 2015 and 2017 has since collapsed, leaving local businesses struggling. The decline, according to Palauan officials, was no accident but a calculated move by Beijing to pressure Palau into severing ties with Taiwan. China, which views Taiwan as a breakaway province, has long sought to isolate the island diplomatically. Palau remains one of the few nations recognizing Taiwan, a stance that has placed it at the center of a geopolitical tug-of-war involving China, Taiwan, and the United States.
Chinese land, US radar and ties to Taiwan: The geopolitics rattling a tiny Pacific nation
