Kiribati election poses test for China-friendly leader

SYDNEY -- Voters in Kiribati head to the polls on Wednesday to determine the political fate of the China-friendly ruling party at a time of increasing geopolitical tension in the Pacific region.

Incumbent President Taneti Maamau has deepened ties with China during his two terms in office, from 2016 to 2024, and is vying to secure a third and final term. Voters will cast ballots to elect members of parliament in the first of two rounds of the general election, to be followed by a presidential contest in roughly a month.