The remote Pacific island nation of Palau says it has agreed to a US request to temporarily resettle up to 17 Chinese Muslims held at the Guantanamo Bay detention centre in Cuba.

Palau President Johnson Toribiong said his government had "agreed to accommodate the United States of America's request to temporarily resettle in Palau up to 17 ethnic Uighur detainees ... subject to periodic review".

Mr Toribiong said his tiny country was honoured and proud to resettle the detainees, who had been found not to be "enemy combatants".

US officials asked Mr Toribiong on June 4 to accept some or all of the 17 Uighur detainees due to fierce US congressional opposition to releasing them on US soil.

The US government has also asked Australia to accept some of the Uighurs.

WELLINGTON AP