Pacific nation Palau begins voting Tuesday in a presidential election dominated by cost of living worries, China meddling claims, and the expanding military footprint of the United States.
The Melanesian microstate of some 20,000 people is one of Taiwan's few remaining diplomatic friends and is seen as a steadfast U.S. supporter in a region where China has made inroads.
In the four years since coming to power, incumbent president Surangel Whipps Jr. has overseen the swift expansion of U.S. military interests across the Palauan archipelago.
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