Strengthening America’s Asian Border: A Discussion with Northern Marianas Governor Arnold Palacios

The Northern Marianas is part of the United States but exists in a strategic environment unlike anywhere else in America. Sharing a maritime boundary with Japan, the Northern Marianas hosted a strategic air base for America’s operations in World War II. Today, as the same base in Tinian is under redevelopment for use by the U.S. Air Force, a Chinese-linked casino recently opened nearby. Unlike anywhere else in America, tourists from China can enter the Northern Mariana Islands through the CNMI-only visa waiver program that has made the U.S. more vulnerable to malicious, CCP-led activities. This is in addition to the large investments that have flowed through the islands’ financial system with little national security oversight. The frontline between the People’s Republic of China’s influence operations and America’s strategic positioning are at a significant crossroads. The ongoing bipartisan Congressional failure to approve the renewal of key components of the Compacts of Free Association leaves the future of U.S. defense architecture in the Central Pacific hanging in the balance and risks further isolating the Northern Marianas and neighboring Guam.

Join FDD for a conversation with Northern Marianas Governor Arnold Palacios; the Hon. Randall G. Schriver, former assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs and current chairman of the Board at The Project 2049 Institute; and FDD Senior Fellow Cleo Paskal. The conversation will be moderated by Craig Singleton, FDD China Program director and senior fellow.

For more, check out: https://www.fdd.org/events/2024/02/22/strengthening-americas-asian-border-a-discussion-with-northern-marianas-governor-arnold-palacios/