Trump team turns to overlooked countries to blunt China's cruise missile threat
by Joel Gehrke
| August 12, 2019 12:00 PM
It’s not often that America's top diplomat plans a major trip to a city of 4,600 people, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo came with a gratifying message for his hosts.
“There’s no clearer statement of America’s commitment to strong partnerships and alliances than showing up in person, so it’s a real honor for me to be here,†Pompeo said last week in Palikir, the capital of the Federated States of Micronesia. “Your small islands are big strongholds of freedom.â€
That might sound like flattery, but it’s not. China’s emergence as a major rival has heightened the importance of U.S. allies around the world, including those with capital cities the size of a small town in rural America. Pompeo’s visit highlighted the administration's effort to prevent China from gaining the ability to win a shootout with the United States in a critical part of the world.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/trump-team-turns-to-overlooked-countries-to-blunt-chinas-cruise-missile-threat
