The last two weeks have seen some of the most frantic US activity related to the Pacific Islands since the end of World War II. A lot happened. It’s like a plane suddenly dropped a cargo of randomly-sized boulders into a lake with varied depths. Some initiatives will sink, others may become essential islands of security in rough weather, some might inadvertently hit and sink the boats of allies.
Sogavare has introduced a Bill to postpone elections. Reaction on the ground is seething. Likely Sogavare and his backers in Beijing don’t mind violence so they can activate the China security deal.
Enticed by the relative anonymity of cryptocurrency and the need to circumvent a denial of service, domestic extremists have been able to raise millions.
Fiji’s capital Suva is turning into Vienna in the 1930s, when ‘diplomats’ from around the world spied on each other and sent cables home about who was sleeping with whom. Meanwhile, across the border, the war machine was roaring into life.
The United States needs an engagement policy with the Pacific Island Countries (PICs) that is Flexible, Appropriate, Coordinated and Effective (FACE). FLEXIBLE It needs to show flexibility when working...
We’ve seen Chinese entropic warfare in various stages in Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. And the contagion seems to be spreading in the Pacific.
President Panuelo: ‘Chinese control over our security space, aside from impacts on our sovereignty, increases the chances of China getting into conflict with Australia, Japan, US and New Zealand, on the day when Beijing decides to invade Taiwan
Only through understanding and taking seriously the power of this online ecosystem to produce individuals like Payton Gendron can we begin to disrupt these repeating cycles of mass attack
An Interview with Cleo Paskal
China has established a dominant presence in the Indo-Pacific through exploitative economic engagements. This has destabilised smaller nations in the region and made them dependent on Chinese support. For a free and open Indo-Pacific, India must press its advantage in human and economic capacity building.
Free and fair election could result in a new government that not only abrogates the security deal but switches back to Taiwan. That would be a serious loss of face for Xi Jinping, giving ammunition to his domestic enemies, and could lead to a politically weakened Sogavare being more exposed to prosecution.
Alexandria, VA: This is Beijing’s “Oh yeah? So what are you gonna do about it?” moment. With the confirmation of a security agreement between China and Solomon Islands—a country approximately 1200...
A serious problem does not go away if you ignore it.
World Exclusive: ‘One could see the huge smoke column from the volcano shoot straight up from the horizon into the sky, until you couldn’t see it anymore. It’s almost as if it was erupting into space itself.’
‘The Chinese are setting up behind US First Island Chain defenses and making it harder for the Marines to operate. It’s never good to have the enemy set up in your rear. Eventually, one of the Pacific...
Other countries are taking the lead in cracking down on U.S.-based groups.
The U.S. has been largely subcontracting its foreign policy for many Pacific Islands to Australia and New Zealand. That needs to change.
The problem was sparked by perceived CCP interference. It can’t be solved by Australia taking a similarly heavy hand.
‘Japan and US have had a relationship with the Micronesian region for over 100 years. Australia has also been providing patrol boats for the past nearly 30 years. India has just begun. It will be important to build a relationship first.’
But the CCP won’t stop. The next time ‘people power’ may not be enough to fight off Beijing. And once the PRC has fully eaten the Solomons, it will use it as a jumping off point for its next meal.