Washington, Feb. 11 -- The United States has designated two senior public office holders from Palau and the Marshall Islands for "significant corruption", making them and their immediate family members ineligible for entry into the US.

According to a State Department press release issued on Tuesday (local time), Palau's Senate President Hokkons Baules was designated "for his involvement in significant corruption on behalf of China-based actors", while Anderson Jibas, former mayor of the Kili/Bikini/Ejit community in the Marshall Islands, was designated "for his involvement in significant corruption and misappropriation of US provided funds during his time in public office".

The State Department stated that Baules abused his public posit...