- Aug 6, 2012
- 28,204
- 25,000
- 2,405
Since WW2, this has been used by America. A $40M naval base is coming there compliments of China. It seems they want to encircle all whom they please.
foreignpolicy.com
A watershed moment in China’s expansion across the Pacific toward the Americas unfolded on June 22 when Kiribati, a country with only 110,000 inhabitants that controls a vast expanse of ocean, reelected a pro-China president instead of choosing a challenger pledged to recognize Taiwan.
Kiribati state media reported that incumbent President Taneti Maamau handily beat opposition leader Banuera Berina, an erstwhile Maamau ally who became his rival over the question of relations with Beijing. China featured heavily in the election campaign, including promises of aid and allegations of bribery.
Maamau’s reelection gives China the tantalizing possibility of gaining a foothold in Kiribati’s Christmas Island, the world’s biggest atoll with a land area of 150 square miles. It’s located just 1,300 miles south of Honolulu, home to the U.S. Pacific Command. Building port facilities on Christmas Island, ostensibly for tourism but capable of use by Chinese warships, is a concern for the U.S. military.
For Taiwan, reversing Kiribati’s 2019 defection—which brought the number of countries worldwide that recognize its existence as a sovereign nation down to 15—would have been a significant victory for President Tsai Ing-wen.
China Could Be in Reach of Hawaii After Kiribati Elects Pro-Beijing President
The strategic significance of the vote could not have been higher.
foreignpolicy.com
A watershed moment in China’s expansion across the Pacific toward the Americas unfolded on June 22 when Kiribati, a country with only 110,000 inhabitants that controls a vast expanse of ocean, reelected a pro-China president instead of choosing a challenger pledged to recognize Taiwan.
Kiribati state media reported that incumbent President Taneti Maamau handily beat opposition leader Banuera Berina, an erstwhile Maamau ally who became his rival over the question of relations with Beijing. China featured heavily in the election campaign, including promises of aid and allegations of bribery.
Maamau’s reelection gives China the tantalizing possibility of gaining a foothold in Kiribati’s Christmas Island, the world’s biggest atoll with a land area of 150 square miles. It’s located just 1,300 miles south of Honolulu, home to the U.S. Pacific Command. Building port facilities on Christmas Island, ostensibly for tourism but capable of use by Chinese warships, is a concern for the U.S. military.
For Taiwan, reversing Kiribati’s 2019 defection—which brought the number of countries worldwide that recognize its existence as a sovereign nation down to 15—would have been a significant victory for President Tsai Ing-wen.
