Palau asks US to build military bases

Government buildings in Palau, a Pacific island nation which became fully independent in 1994 ITSUO INOUYE/AP. The small Pacific nation of Palau has asked the United States to build military bases on its islands in a sign of growing strategic competition in the region between the US and China. The invitation came in the form of a letter given by Tommy Remengesau, the president of Palau, to Mark Esper, the US defence secretary, who visited the territory last month.