This is John Batchel, conversation with colleague Cleo Pascal of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies,

about American Samoa. The only part of the U.S., I did not know this, Cleo helps me, in the southern hemisphere,

surrounded. And why is the American Samoa at risk? People's Republic of China. Cleo explains. There are other U.S. territories at risk.

That would be Guam in the North Temperate Zone

and the Northern Mariana's.

But here, American Samoa by itself, surrounded.

And what is to be done?

Cleo Pascal tonight.

So American Samoa, the congresswoman from American Samoa in her statement pointed out that

she's surrounded on three sides by countries that have very close relationships with China.

And this is the only part of the U.S.

that's in the southern hemisphere. And we talk a lot about China being in Latin America. It doesn't

magically appear in Latin America. It has to cross the Pacific to get there. And so this zone,

like American Samoa, is an area where you could potentially see a lot more Chinese activity.

Currently, primarily it's in the role of illegal fisheries.

And what the Congresswoman has asked for is the basing, a permanent Coast Guard station that can help protect American Samoan waters from all this, what the Filipinos call, illegal coercive, aggressive, and deceptive activity from the Chinese that are affecting the economy and the people of American Samoa.