Palau–Philippines relations

Palau–Philippines relations refers to the bilateral relations between Palau and the Philippines, who share the same Austronesia culture languages. The Philippines and Palau have shared centuries of history under the same Spanish colony, and after Philippine independence, Palaos (Palau) sent a delegation to the Malolos Congress.

History

Both countries were colonies of the Spanish Empire and governed as the Spanish East Indies. Palau was part of the Spanish Empire from 1574 to 1899. When the Philippine Republic's legislature, the Malolos Congress was convened, a delegation to Palaos was present. The term Palaos that was used by the Malolos Congress referred to the entire Nuevas Filipinas (New Philippines), now known as the Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, and the Caroline Islands, where the main center at the time was in Palau, hence why the entire area was also called Palaos. A stable independent Philippine state failed to realize because of a United States invasion, and Palau was sold by Spain to the German Empire along with the Caroline Islands. The Japanese Empire annexed Palau in World War I from Germany administering it until World War II when the United States captured the islands. Palau was then incorporated into the United Nations-backed Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in 1947.

In 1979, four constituents of the Trust Territory decided to form the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau opted to become its own independent state.