Wesley W. Simina
Wesley W. Simina (born September 10, 1961) is a Chuukese politician and the current President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). He holds a Juris Doctor (JD) degree and is married to Ancelly Simina. Together, they have eight children.
Governor of Chuuk State (2005–2011)
2005: Simina was elected Governor of Chuuk State.
As governor, he focused on infrastructure development, fiscal reform, and public services. He claimed credit for reducing a $21 million deficit to $7 million, initiating a $14 million power grid reconstruction project, and launching major upgrades to roads and utilities in Weno. He also led state efforts in disaster preparedness and recovery, particularly in response to typhoons.
2009: Simina was re-elected, defeating Gillian N. Doone in a runoff. In his inaugural address, he stated that Chuuk was “moving forward, slowly but, truly.” He also addressed and resolved a $9 million financial mismanagement issue inherited from the previous administration.
During his tenure, Chuuk received development aid from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), including contributions to projects in health, education, and government infrastructure. Simina met with Chinese diplomats and delegations, strengthening FSM-China relations and encouraging further cooperation.
2011 (July): Resigned as governor to pursue a seat in the FSM Congress. He was succeeded by Johnson Elimo.
FSM Congress (2011–2023)
2011: Elected as Chuuk State’s At-Large Senator in the FSM Congress.
2015 (May): Elected Speaker of the FSM Congress. In this role, Simina began to play a key role in national governance, legislation, and foreign diplomacy.
2018 (June): Speaker and his wife make official ten-day visit to Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
2019: As part of the FSM congressional leadership, he participated in Compact of Free Association (COFA) economic assistance extension negotiations with the United States, serving on the Joint Committee on Compact Review & Planning (JCRP).
2020: Attended the 30th Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) in Australia.
As Speaker, Simina helped pass legislation on national concerns, including the COVID-19 response, infrastructure development, and international diplomacy. He was a major proponent of FSM’s foreign policy, including reaffirming the country’s commitment to the One China Policy.
President of the FSM (2023–)
May 2023: Elected President of the FSM by the Congress, selected from among the four At-Large Senators. His election marked a break from the traditional “gentlemen’s agreement” to rotate the presidency among the FSM’s four states.
His selection—held behind closed doors—likely reflected both his seniority and Chuuk’s outsized political influence due to its population. It may also have been a strategic move to ease Chuuk’s ongoing secessionist sentiments. A third, alternative or complementary consideration may have been providing the FSM a more status quo president in the wake of the final stages of the Panuelo administration, which saw stark public claims made about elite-capture in the FSM Government by the PRC.
Themes of Simina Administration
National Unity: The FSM is organized as a very loose federation, being home to very distinct cultural/linguistic groups located across many small scattered island groupings. Since the inception of the FSM in 1979 there have been state-level autonomy movements, but these have grown, and strengthen in notoriety in recent years, particularly as the size, scope, and role of the national government has expanded to unprecedented levels over the last two decades. Though few, if any, individuals within the FSM see themselves as “Micronesians,” (rather they are Pohnpeian, Chuukese, etc…) Simina has often pushed the term in the context of trying to limit frustration and dissent on the part of the four constitutive state governments. See Arngel Formula.
Infrastructure Development, with a focus on transportation and telecommunications: The growth of the national government, in-part driven by financial inputs from fishing licenses and captive insurance revenues, as well as direct assistance from the PRC and multilateral aid, has allowed the FSM Government to design and pursue its own transportation and telecommunications projects separate from those designed in partnership with the US and funded through COFA assistance. Most of the US-funding is targeted to the state levels, where public goods and services are actually provided.
"Peacemaker:" The US–FSM relationship, based on the Compact of Free Association (COFA), provides the FSM with economic aid and access to US services. In return, the FSM grants the US exclusive strategic access, aiding US defense in the Pacific. Located in the “corridor of freedom,” the FSM helps extend US defense reach to Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines. President Simina regularly reaffirms this alliance, further citing the service of FSM citizens in the U.S. military.
Simultaneously, Simina has also vigously supported the PRC’s One China Policy throughout his career, and promoting Chinese-funded infrastructure projects in the FSM, some with possible dual-use. In April 2024, he again reiterated FSM’s stance, stating that Taiwan is “an inalienable part of China.” While the U.S. acknowledges Beijing’s claim over Taiwan, it maintains strategic ambiguity and remains Taiwan’s key security partner. China’s growing military focus on Taiwan by 2027 adds urgency to such regional alignments. Simina's only publicly stated attempts to reconcile his seemingly incongruous positions on FSM-US and FSM-PRC relations has been to suggest the FSM can serve as a "peacemaker," a claim he repeated ahead of a state visit to the PRC in 2024.
Engagement with the US
March 2016: Met with Stephen Schwartz (U.S. State Department, East Asia-Pacific) to reaffirm the FSM-U.S. relationship.
December 2023: Stated that Micronesia had agreed to “foreclose some of our powers, especially in defense and security,” in exchange for U.S. economic assistance under COFA. He emphasized that the U.S. had a “perpetual right” to access FSM territory for military activities and could deny access to third countries.
July 2023: US Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, attending Simina's inauguration, praises "democracy and a commitment to the rule of law in action."
March 2024: During a visit to the Pentagon, Simina highlighted the shared values between FSM and the U.S. and reaffirmed appreciation for renewed COFA assistance through the 2040s.
April 2024: Confirmed U.S. plans for major defense investments, including a potential $400 million upgrade of Yap’s airfield, with additional projects in Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae.
March 2025: Reaffirmed FSM’s military cooperation with the U.S. during a meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, emphasizing infrastructure development aligned with local values.
Engagement with the PRC
2012: Attended a Chinese Embassy reception marking the PRC’s founding. Expressed gratitude for China’s ongoing development support.
October 2014: Led a Congressional delegation to China for a Parliamentary Exchange. Held high-level meetings discussing infrastructure, education, and bilateral ties; reaffirmed the One China Policy.
October 2019: Participated in a Chinese diplomatic visit to reaffirm FSM’s commitment to the One China Policy and deepen bilateral relations.
2020: As Speaker, met with Chinese Ambassador Huang Zheng and attended a 30th anniversary celebration of FSM-China relations. Emphasized mutual cooperation, especially in infrastructure, education, and health.
May 2022: Reiterated support for China’s development assistance and long-term partnership during another meeting with Ambassador Huang Zheng.
April 2024: Paid a state visit to China, describing FSM as a “peacemaker” between the U.S. and China. During the visit, he: reaffirmed the One China Policy and China’s territorial integrity (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet); elevated bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership; and advocated cooperation under the Belt & Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative in areas like fisheries, agriculture, tourism, trade, climate change, and digital economy.
May 2025 (mid-month): Inaugurated the Chinese-funded FSM National Convention Center in Pohnpei, calling it a symbol of the “concrete and strong partnership” between FSM and China.
May 2025 (late-month): Attended the groundbreaking of the Woleai Airport runway reconstruction. The project was a partnership between China’s Shandong Hengyue Municipal Engineering Co., Ltd. and the FSM Department of Transportation, Communications & Infrastructure.
