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President David Panuelo accused China of political warfare and bribery in Micronesia. Photos/UNTV
LEAVE – the President of Micronesia David Panuelo accuses China engage in “political warfare”, bribery, and repression. The allegations were made in an explosive angry letter to Parliament.
“Simply put, we are witnessing a political war in our country,” Panuelo said in his letter, detailing accusations of Chinese espionage, coercion of government officials and direct threats to his personal safety.
Panuelo, who is out of commission, has previously voiced concern about Beijing’s growing power in the South Pacific. He has opposed a security deal that would allow Chinese troops to be deployed to the region.
But his letter went further, warning Micronesia’s incoming government of a barrage of threats he believed risked turning the sparsely-populated island federation into a vassal state.
“China is demonstrating a keen ability to undermine our sovereignty, repudiate our values, and use our elected and senior officials for their own ends,” he continued in his letter, as quoted by AFP, Friday (10/3/2023).
Among the dramatic accusations, Panuelo claimed his own cabinet colleagues sent recordings of bilateral meetings directly to China.
“We were bribed to engage, and bribed to be silent. It’s a heavy word, but it’s an accurate description,” he said.
“What else do you call it when an elected official is given an envelope filled with money after eating at the PRC embassy or after the inauguration?” he said, using the initials of China’s official name, the People’s Republic of China.
He also said he was personally followed by “two Chinese men” while attending a meeting in Fiji last July.
