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Australia, New Zealand worried by China deal with Solomons

15 Comments
By ROD McGUIRK

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15 Comments
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competition is not welcomed there?

instead of "worry" give to these islanders better offers as all is about money and influence in region...

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

What to worry?

Go and buy over the leaders, and they will lean on you..

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I think the entire “Free World” should be

0 ( +4 / -4 )

competition is not welcomed there?

Economic competition is welcomed. Military competition leads to war. Should Australia have a similar agreement with Taiwan? Would China be ok with that competition?

What to worry?

Military strikes on Australia and New Zealand and a need to retaliate against our neighbors in the event of conflict.

Same worry China has with the US. Now China is exporting military it can not complain about the Americans in Japan and other places. China is no better than America.

Money talks.

Does it? Australian aid to Solomon Islands is much bigger than anyone else's. Not loans, gifts. China give little aid but does get nations into debt traps with huge loans the nations struggle to replay or end up not being able to repay.

It looks like China just topped that bid.

No, China has not upped its aid, it has offered high interest loans for infrastructure projects that have little or no chance of paying back the money loaned plus the interest. China then gets 99 year lease on ports and associated infrastructure. Just ask Sri Lanka.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

It is not as simple as it looks. I am not an expert in the politics of the Solomon Islands but according to an article I read some time ago. Apparently there are serious friction between different regions or islands in the Pacific nation. Different political leaders are trying to get more bribe, I mean aids from overseas. That gives the chance China to step in.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Nothing of any note will be done in the next few months before the election. Scummo will be too busy pork barreling.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@BigYen:

Yes, you are correct about the current government there being seduced by China for some reason and the tension this causes with another Island group within the Solomon's. It may be due to bribes for officials, but it is not due to an increase in free aid.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Don’t be surprised if China starts laying claim to one of the islands, or seas there

1 ( +3 / -2 )

venzeMar. 28  01:19 pm JST

What to worry?

Go and buy over the leaders, and they will lean on you..

That's what I want to say it. China had bribed leaders and Government to get what the Communist Chinese wanted to do in a small Island country like Solomon Island, Fiji and Papua New Guinea.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Point is, Peter, however you characterise it the Solomons - or more precisely PM Sogavare - have gone for it. You might also recall that the recent tension on the islands was down to a difference of opinion between the Sogavare faction and the faction from another island which is opposed to his willingness to embrace closer ties with China. You’d have to conclude from that that further internecine conflict is likely.

You are referring to the island of Malaite, which retains a strong relationship with Taiwan and is furious with the government in Honiara for ending relations with Taiwan in favor of relations with PRC. The riots in Honiara targeted Chinese owned businesses. Australia sent police to Honiara that last time at the invite of the central government under the existing treaty. But I am quite sure the PRC would dearly love an excuse, any excuse, to send forces to the Solomon Islands to put down the next anti-PRC riot.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Who assigned CCP responsibility for the Solomon Islands' regional security? Chinese interference in the Solomon Islands is nothing more than the CCP's first step toward encroaching on the islands. China is laying its bait to the islands under the guise of security and prosperity.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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