The Guardian-Palaus pro-US president wins second term defeating pro-China brother-in-law
November 14, 2024 2 min 366 words
西方媒体的这篇报道主要聚焦于帕劳总统大选，现任总统惠普斯击败了亲中的姐夫，赢得第二任期。报道强调了帕劳在美国和中国紧张关系中的重要地位，以及它与台湾之间的外交盟友关系。在选举前，帕劳选民最关注经济和生活成本危机问题。但对外界来说，这次选举象征着华盛顿和北京之间在太平洋地区日益激烈的地缘政治角力。 评论：这篇报道体现了西方媒体的典型偏见，过度强调了中国因素在帕劳选举中的作用，而无视或淡化其他更重要的因素。报道中充满了“亲美”“亲中”和“地缘政治角力”等标签，试图将选举结果简单化地归结于大国博弈，而对帕劳自身的国情政治生态和选民意愿缺乏深入分析。事实上，帕劳选民最关注的经济和生活成本问题，才是影响选举结果的关键因素。此外，报道还忽略了其他国家和地区，如澳大利亚和台湾，在帕劳选举结果中所发挥的作用。总的来说，这篇报道体现了西方媒体的偏见和双重标准，缺乏客观公正的态度。
Incumbent president Surangel S. Whipps Jr., a businessman-turned-politician, in his office in Koror, Palau this OctoberPalau’s incumbent president Surangel Whipps Jr has been returned for a second term after a national election held last week, according to a final tally by the Palau Election Commission.
The results showed Whipps Jr won 5,626 votes, defeating his brother-in-law Tommy Remengesau who received 4,103 votes.
Palau, which is important to the US military amid tensions with China and is among a dozen diplomatic allies of Taiwan, held a national election for president and its senate on 5 November.
“Looking ahead, I know the challenges we face are significant, but so are the opportunities,” Whipps said in a statement claiming victory on Wednesday.
His government would seek to diversify Palau’s economy while protecting its ocean and forests, he added.
Ahead of the election, voters said they were mostly concerned about the economy and a cost of living crisis. But outside Palau, the election has symbolised a growing geopolitical tussle for influence between Washington and Beijing that is playing out across the Pacific.
In the four years since coming to power, Whipps has overseen the swift expansion of US military interests across the Palauan archipelago.
Palau this year renewed a Compact of Free Association with Washington, in a deal that will see it receive $890m in economic assistance over 20 years in return for allowing continued US military access to its maritime zone, airspace and land.
Palau’s population of 18,000 is spread across an archipelago that sits between the Philippines and the US military base on Guam.
Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese congratulated Whipps Jr in a message on social media platform X on Wednesday.
“We look forward to continuing to work as friends and partners to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific,” Albanese wrote.
Taiwan president Lai Ching-te had earlier congratulated Whipps Jr in a message on social media, saying there would be greater collaboration in tourism and infrastructure.
The Melanesian microstate is one of the few remaining countries in the world that diplomatically recognises Taiwan instead of China.
With Reuters and Agence France-Presse