China's south Pacific belt & road

[tamada]

It appears that The Solomon's and Samoa are the only two 'big' signatories to have upset the apple cart. The Chinese appear to have made inroads in Fiji and Kiribati but the Federated States of Micronesia is firmly against any Chinese initiatives.

"[China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi] said China had long championed other developing nations both in the Pacific and around the world, something it had started doing in the 1960s when it helped African nations build railways.

"My advice for those people is: Don't be too anxious and don't be too nervous," Wang said.

My advice to those in doubt would be to check the trade balance and national debt of some of those African nations.

"There's a good side and a bad side," said Nora Nabukete, a student at the University of the South Pacific. "We get more money into the economy, being pumped in and stuff, but then there's also a side where they bring in a lot of new things that are new to the Fijian culture."

Nabukete worries about the seedier side that has been associated with Chinese investment in Fiji — a supposed influx of gambling, gangs and drugs.

Saw that for myself in The Congo, Gabon and Guinea where the Chinese trafficked their own women to work as hosteses in Chinese restaurants. At the risk of triggering pepe (again), a Chinese restaurant owner in Pointe Noire once asked if I wanted a girl. After I declined, he leaned closer and, resting his hand on my leg, asked, "A boy then?"

The Cinese will need to further pursue this divide and conquer diplomacy that they employ against their neighbors in the South China Sea.

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/30/11020283 ... aller-wins

[jackspratt]

.........a Chinese restaurant owner in Pointe Noire once asked if I wanted a girl. After I declined, he leaned closer and, resting his hand on my leg, asked, "A boy then?"

And ......

[tamada]

.........a Chinese restaurant owner in Pointe Noire once asked if I wanted a girl. After I declined, he leaned closer and, resting his hand on my leg, asked, "A boy then?"

And ......

[jackspratt]

Scottish salmon/Chinese lure?

Or the other way round?

[jackspratt]

Another perspective - this time from the Australian media.

China wanted a swift diplomatic victory in the Pacific. But the region's leaders won't be rushed


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-01/ ... /101116656

[marjamlew]

Another perspective - this time from the Australian media.

China wanted a swift diplomatic victory in the Pacific. But the region's leaders won't be rushed


https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-01/ ... /101116656

Wong 1 Wang 0
What was it that Arthur Calwell said all those years ago? Seems he was wong after all.

[jackspratt]

You may well be white

Funnily enough, there is still a lot of AC in what masquerades as the "Liberal" (sic) party today.

Peter Dutton .... FFS.

[papafarang]

chinese have deep pockets , this was just round one. good play by the islanders . a good move to squeeze the chinese for a much better deal, more grants less loans.