パラオのチン議長とアンガウル州の政府代表が中国本土を訪問するという記事。
中国人観光客が激増し、人身事故も起っているが外交関係がない中国政府と対処に限度があり、パラオに中国政府の窓口を設置する事を協議するようである。また中国はアンガウル等の離島に投資の関心がある、という事。
台湾との外交関係があるパラオ、米国との自由連合協定で安全保障関係上外交には一定の縛りがあるパラオ。今回のチン議長の中国訪問は国内国外、特に米国からの反応が気になる。
アンガウル州への投資話、というのもどうもきな臭い。
現在パラオは中国との外交がなくともビジネスは促進する、という合意らしいが、これだけの中国人観光客や投資が入れば政治レベルの繋がりは強化されるであろう。これが安全保障上の繋がりになる事は容易だ。
例えばアンガウル州周辺の海洋監視や湾岸空港建設など考えられない話ではない。
Senate President, Angaur officials to visit China
WRITTEN BY JOSE RODRIGUEZ T. SENASE
TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2015 00:04
Senate President Camsek Chin and a delegation from Angaur State will be going to Mainland China this week for a business trip.
Chin, in a phone interview, said they are going to China to meet with business people there who are intereted in investing in Palau, particularly in the outlying states like Angaur.
He said their group will fly to China on Tuesday, September 15, 2015, and will be back over the weekend.
According to Chin, Angaur Governor Marvin Ngirutang, and some members of the Angaur State Legislature are also going on the trip.
Chin did not mention the places in China that they would visit. But according to Gov. Ngirutang, they will visit Hong Kong and the Sehnzen area of China. He also said that Sen. Regis Akitaya is also coming on the trip.
Shenzen is a modern metropolis that links Hong Kong to China’s mainland. It is part of China’s Guangdong Province.
Chin said politics or the absence of diplomatic ties should not come in the way development.
“China is now the world’s second largest economy. Many Chinese businessmen have expressed interest in investing in Palau. We have to tap into such interest,” he pointed out.
Chin said that if they have opportunity to meet Chinese Government officials during the trip, he would suggest to them that China have a contact person in Palau to take care of its people.
Chin said having a contact person is very imporant, particularly that there are many Chinese businesses here and many Chinese visiting Palau.
He cited the recent incident where a Chinese tourist died after being hit by a boat in the Rock Islands.
“They have to ask somebody from the Chinese Embassy in Pohnpei, FSM to deal with that. If there was a contact person from here, it would have been easier to deal with that,” he pointed out.
