This is John Batchel, a conversation with colleague Cleo Pascal. She's in the Federated States of Micronesia,

in the headquarters of one of the four states. She's in Yap, having returned there from the outer islands in these last days.

Here she responds to the question, what is the U.S. doing about the Chinese soft power building

runways and buying favors in the Federated States of Micronesia, the influence peddling

that has been successful in other islands of Oceania, anticipating a conflict with the U.S.

It is not wise to lose island after island to Chinese bad actors.

Here's Cleo to describe what the U.S. has done so far, what it can do.

Much more of this tonight.

Cleo Pascal, FDD.

I think they're more aware now, thanks to the coverage here and elsewhere.

I think the groundbreaking on the new runway set up a few flares, sent up a few flares, and we'll see what the response is.

But it really shouldn't have gotten this far. President Panwello, of the former president of Federated States of Mergeny,

wrote letters a couple of years

ago, two, three years ago, very clearly stating the problem with China and the influence

operations that they were running here and desperately tried to raise the alarm. So it shouldn't be a

surprise. I'm not quite sure what's going to be done about it, but something hopefully will be

done soon because Secretary Hegseth has announced about $2 billion worth of investment in the

main island of Yap, which is where I am now extending the runway, working on the port, rebuilding

some roads, things like that. And it's really, you know, if you're just focusing on

kinetic infrastructure and ignoring the political warfare infrastructure that China is in

placing, then you may be building a very nice runway for the Chinese.