FSM breaks ground on China-led airport reconstruction project in Woleai

 By Cleo Paskal

Woleai— Federated States of Micronesia President Wesley Simina officiated the May 26 groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the Woleai airport runway.

The work is being done by China’s Shandong Hengyue Municipal Engineering Co. Approximately 30 workers are on site, with the project expected to last around nine months. 

A cargo ship with smaller tenders is anchored offshore. It brought construction equipment and materials for the job from China. 

Many of the workers entered FSM via a flight from Palau to Yap, and then traveled by boat to Woleai.

The Woleai runway was originally built by Imperial Japan in late 1942 or early 1943. 

According to Habele Institute, the Japanese “cleared the entire island to construct a single runway measuring 3,290' x  330' running roughly northeast to southwest. A taxiway 2,050' x 165' ran north to south.”

The United States bombed the runway, along with other Japanese installations across the area. By early 1945, the runway was inoperable. 

In the 1970s, during the Trust Territory era, Pacific Mission Aviation (PMA) secured the support of the U.S. government for the Navy’s Seabees on Yap to rehabilitate the airstrip.

The rehabilitated runway and the PMA service made a fundamental difference for many Outer Islanders, as it meant they only had to reach Woleai—rather than travel by boat for several more days—to be able to get a flight to Yap and beyond (PMA still offers heavily discounted local travel and free medical evacuations from islands it can reach. It no longer includes Woleai).

The runway became increasingly unusable and was often affected by flooding.  In 2024, a PMA aircraft was damaged in an attempt to take off.  No one was injured.  

The FSM government awarded the contract to repair the runway to a Chinese company that had previously done work in Pohnpei. After the runway is fixed, the company is scheduled to work on restoring a bridge in Yap proper. 

The runway is adjacent to the high school, and a large delegation of Chinese attended the graduation, cheerfully interacting with local kids and guests. 

They also donated a ping pong table and stationery to the school. There were no other foreign guests in attendance.

While the locals are keen to have the runway up and running again, there have been some issues with the construction site, including concerns over effluence being dumped into taro patches. Communication challenges exacerbated these issues. There is now a translator on site.  

The groundbreaking was attended by local dignitaries, the presidential delegation, which includes First Lady Ancelly Simina; Environment Climate Change & Emergency Management Secretary Andrew Taliman; Department of Education Assistant Secretary Arthur Albert; Department of Transportation Communications & Infrastructure (TC&I) Assistant Secretary Peter Hagileisa; TC&I Assistant Secretary Dickson Wichep; Donovan Ehpel (TC&I); Special Assistant Rexon Nennis; Special Assistant Jack Harris; National Police Lt. Rose Ann Joseph; Cpl. Hideaki Charley; and Officer Mason Ringlen.

Simina has been on a multi-day trip through the Outer Islands of Yap, a time when there is an increasing focus on the area. 

The U.S. Department of Defense earlier announced an estimated $2 billion in investments in Yap, including infrastructure. However, it appears to be limited to the main island of Yap proper, rather than the state as a whole.  

The U.S. has funded the rehabilitation of Yap International Airport in Colonia through a $37 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The U.S. Air Force has also proposed a $400 million package for airport extension, the construction of a staging area for military use, the rehabilitation of the dock area and the repair of the road stretching from the airport to the seaport.

On May 22, Yap Gov. Charles Sigfred Chieng, who had been ill, died in Oklahoma. 

Relations between and among the national government, state government, traditional leaders and the Department of Defense have been fraught.

It was in this context that Simina and his delegation took a patrol boat on a tour of the Outer Islands.

Among the events he attended were two annual community highlights, the graduation ceremonies of the two Outer Islands’ high schools, Outer Islands High School (Ulithi), held on May 22 and Neighboring Islands Central High School (Woleai) held on May 27.

Simina is due to return to the area in July or August, and local leaders have been informed that this will be the time to raise their concerns.

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