What to Know About Palau’s Election: Taiwan, China and Other Key Issues

After Palau held its presidential election on November 5, incumbent President Surangel Whipps Jr. was announced as the winner this week. Palau - an archipelago of more than 300 islands to the east of the Philippines and southwest of Guam - is one of Taiwan's few remaining diplomatic partners in the region and has seen an increasing U.S. military presence in recent years, making it a focal point for competition between the United States and China. Palau gained independence from the United States in 1994 and has maintained a close relationship with Washington ever since under the Compact of Free Association.