二战后，根据其全球战略部署和国家利益考量，美国对帕劳的外交政策几经调整。战后初期，美国为了巩固其在太平洋地区的战略存在，通过组建太平洋岛屿托管地，把包括帕劳在内的密克罗尼西亚诸岛纳入美国全面“治理”的范畴。冷战期间，为保障美国在北太平洋地区“战略阻绝”的实施，美国积极拉拢帕劳，将帕劳纳入美国的战略范畴。20世纪70年代以后，为应对帕劳的独立倾向，美国又通过与帕劳签订《自由联系条约》，把帕劳打造为美国的“自由联系国”。冷战结束后初期，帕劳等太平洋岛国在美国战略中的重要性下降，美国对太平洋岛国有所“忽视”。进入21世纪后，随着大国在太平洋地区争夺的加剧，美国开始重新考量其在太平洋地区的地位和影响力，与美国“重返亚太”战略相适应，美国加紧了在太平洋地区的争夺，美帕两国关系也进入密切发展时期。
After World War II，based on the United States' global strategy and its national interests，the foreign policy of the United States to Palau has adjusted several times. In the early era of postwar，the United States set up the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in order to consolidate its strategy in the Pacific area. Palau was administered by the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. During the Cold War，in order to ensure “strategic denial” of the North Pacific to other significant powers，the United States tried hard to bring Palau into its global strategy. Since the 1970s，in response to tendency of Palau's independence，the United States signed the Compact of Free Association with Palau. Under the compact，Palau became a “free association” nation of the United States. With the end of the Cold War，the United States chose to “ignore” the pacific islands countries. After entering the 21st century，more and more powers have entered into pacific area. With the “Return to Asia” strategic formulated，the United States intensified fighting in the Pacific and strengthened relations with Palau.
| Keywords： | The United StatesThe Republic of PalauThe Compact of Free AssociationU.S.-Palau relationship |
