Marshall Islands may be focus for US-China competition as elections loom and expiration of American deal for billions of dollars approaches
- The compact, which gives Washington control of defence and security in exchange for billions of dollars in aid, ends in 2023
- The Taiwan-aligned president is challenged by those supporting mainland-backed investment in the country
The Marshall Islands vote in a general election on Monday that could fan the flames of United States-China competition for strategic advantage in the Pacific – but despite the high stakes, one-third of the islands’ citizens are barred from voting.
The vote comes amid escalating tensions between the US and China that has seen Kiribati and the Solomon Islands recently switch diplomatic allegiance to China after years of ties with US-backed Taiwan.
In the election build-up, President Hilda Heine’s US and Taiwan-aligned government has been challenged by opposition leaders keen to implement a controversial Chinese mainland-backed investment in the country.
It was the underlying cause of a vote of no confidence that nearly ousted the government in late 2018, and the parliament has been deadlocked since, with 16 members on each side.
Even a small change in the parliamentary line-up could thrust the country’s 21-year diplomatic ties with Taiwan into question, fuelling Beijing’s effort to widen its diplomatic net in the region.
