SYDNEY, Australia — Palau's incumbent President Surangel Whipps Jr. on Monday claimed victory in national elections, keeping the pro-United States leader in power as China seeks greater influence across the Pacific.
Over his four years in office, Baltimore, Maryland-born Whipps has overseen the swift expansion of US military interests across the Palauan archipelago.
SOMETHING WORTH SMILING Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr. arrives for the opening ceremony of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine at the Buergenstock Resort in Stansstad, near the city of Lucerne, central Switzerland, on June 15, 2024. EPA FILE PHOTO