China Reviving World War II Airfield in America's Backyard
McCartney, Micah (2025-05-27). "China Reviving World War II Airfield in America's Backyard". Newsweek. Taipei, Taiwan.
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Abstract: “China Reviving World War II Airfield in America’s Backyard” by Micah McCartney discusses China’s initiative to refurbish a World War II-era airfield on Woleai atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia. This project is led by a Chinese state-owned company in collaboration with Micronesia’s Department of Transportation and is seen as a strategic move by China to increase its influence in the Pacific region. The airfield’s renovation is significant due to its location, approximately 400 miles south of Guam, a key U.S. military hub in the Asia-Pacific.
The article highlights the geopolitical implications of this development, noting Western analysts’ concerns that the project could undermine U.S. military positioning in the Pacific due to China’s policy of military-civil fusion. This allows dual-use facilities to potentially benefit the People’s Liberation Army. Additionally, China is strengthening its presence in the South Pacific, an area traditionally under the U.S.'s strategic influence, through infrastructure projects, while the U.S. has been focusing its resources elsewhere.
The renovated airfield is expected to be a boon to the local population, improving access to healthcare, business, and education by reducing reliance on long boat journeys to the nearest airstrip. The project has been met with mixed reactions, with some viewing it as an opportunity for development, while others worry about the overshadowing presence of China in the region, particularly in areas under the strategic importance of the Second Island Chain—a defense line for the U.S. aiming to contain rising Chinese power in wartime scenarios.
