China has labeled Palau an unsafe travel destination to punish it for hosting Taiwan's foreign minister, a warning shot to any small country that keeps ties with Taipei.

• Palau's president said Beijing blacklisted the island for tourists after Taiwan's foreign minister Lin Chia-lung arrived with a delegation.
• Taiwan's foreign ministry called it economic coercion — using tourism as a weapon to force other countries to switch sides.
• Palau is one of the few Pacific states that still recognizes Taiwan, making it a target as China buys influence across the region.
• The visit came with Taiwanese-made electric buses, solar panels and a hydrogen energy project meant to help Palau run on all renewable power by 2032.
• The timing is pointed: the Pacific Islands Forum summit opened the same week, with regional leaders riding those buses.

Outlook: Chinese tourist numbers to Palau will likely stay throttled, and Taiwan will answer with more aid and energy deals to keep its last Pacific friends onside.