Surangel Whipps Jr.

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The Honourable[1]
Surangel Whipps Jr.
File:Surangel Whipps Jr..jpg
Whipps in 2021
10th President of Palau
Assumed office
21 January 2021
Vice President Uduch Sengebau Senior
Preceded by Thomas Remengesau Jr.
Member of the Senate of Palau
In office
2008–2016
Personal details
Born (1968-08-09) 9 August 1968 (age 56)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political party Independent
Spouse(s) Valerie Whipps (m. 1999)
Children 4 (3 daughters and 1 son)
Parents Surangel S. Whipps
Education Andrews University(B.S)
University of California,Los Angeles(MBA)

Surangel S. Whipps Jr. (born 9 August 1968)[2] is a Palauan businessman and politician, who has served as the president of Palau since 2021.[3] He served as senator from 2008 to 2016.[3] He is from Ngatpang state, Republic of Palau.[1] Whipps assumed office as the President of Palau on 21 January 2021.[4][5]

Early life and education

File:03.30 總統接見帛琉共和國總統惠恕仁閣下伉儷訪團 - 51083529117.jpg
Whipps, wife Valerie and President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen in March 2021.

Whipps was born in Baltimore, Maryland,[6] to Surangel Whipps Sr. and a mother who was born in Maryland.[6]

He has a degree in Business Administration and Economics from Andrews University and an MBA from University of California, Los Angeles.[7] In addition, he heads a chain of Palauan supermarkets.[8]

He ran against his brother-in-law, President Thomas Remengesau Jr., who was running for re-election, in the 2016 Palauan general election[9] Remengesau received 5109 votes while Whipps won 4854 votes.[10]

File:Jake Sullivan and Surangel Whipps Jr. at the White House in 2022.jpg
Whipps and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the White House in May 2022.

Spouse and children

Whipps married Valerie Esang Remengesau in 1999 and the couple had four children.[11]

Tenure

Whipps ran for president in the 2020 presidential election and defeated Vice-president Raynold Oilouch[3][12] in a campaign in which he stressed tax reforms and the creation of additional sources of revenue.[13] In an interview with the Guardian, then President-elect Whipps Jr. made the statement that Palau would more strongly oppose the actions of the Chinese government including illegal fishing and trespassing in Palauan waters as well as vowing to maintain the country's recognition of Taiwan.[8] In addition, he proposed to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine amongst Palau's population, with an emphasis on healthcare workers.[14]

During the COP26 meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, Whipps said "We are drowning, and our only hope is the life-ring you are holding", strongly criticizing world powers in his speech.[15] On 28 September 2022, on the occasion of the state funeral for Shinzo Abe, Japan's former prime minister, in Tokyo, Whipps was one of only seven heads of state which met with Japanese Emperor Naruhito.[16]

In October 2022, President Whipps visited Taiwan again. He arrived in Taiwan on 5 October and was welcomed by President Tsai Ing-wen when he stepped off the plane. This was his second trip to visit Taiwan during his presidency.

References

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  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Political offices
Preceded by President of Palau
2021–present		 Incumbent

Template:Presidents of Palau

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