In this episode, Latika interviews John Hennessey who served as US Ambassador to the Pacific nation of Palau, which is holding an election on Tuesday. Palau is one of the few countries that recognises Taiwan and has formal diplomatic ties with the self-governed democratic island. The retired Ambassador made history and headlines when he visited Taiwan in 2021, becoming the first serving US Ambassador to do so since the adoption of the One China policy. John discusses his recent piece published by the American Foreign Service Association. He argues that the US risks a credibility gap in the Pacific if it doesn’t step up. He discusses his time in Palau, how the US is trying to combat Chinese interference i the Pacific and the implications of Tuesday’s Presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris for US foreign policy. Latika Takes is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.latikambourke.com/subscribe