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Apr 29, 2024 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Jay E. Caldwell |Danielle Watson |Sinclair Dinnen |Denghua Zhang
Fiji’s current drug epidemic has been the focus of public attention across the nation, with ripple effects through other parts of the Pacific. Fiji’s Minister for Home Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua, recently described the current drug surge as a threat to the fabric of Fijian society that requires a multi-front offensive — headlined by a new narcotics and drug enforcement bureau. But it is worth asking whether the Fijian government understands the fundamental shift this approach represents.
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Mar 13, 2024 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Phuc Tran |Sinclair Dinnen |Denghua Zhang |Monika Chaudhary
After another decade of land takings and conflicts, the National Assembly of Vietnam has passed new amendments for its Land Law. The law’s performance not only affects the regional rule of law movement but also holds real fiscal weight. Hanoi plans to invest heavily into the land-sensitive subject of its highspeed railway, metro and airport network. Experts have cast the new law as another reiteration of the ‘status quo’, which is the prioritisation of social stability.
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Mar 8, 2024 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Shantanu Roy-Chaudhury |Rebecca Sta Maria |Sinclair Dinnen |Denghua Zhang
Following Taiwan’s general elections in January 2024, where the Democratic Progressive Party won a third term, South Asian countries released a range of statements supporting China’s claim that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and on upholding ‘One China’ principle. The outpour of support showcases Beijing’s use of economic and political influence in the region to control the discourse over Taiwan.
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Mar 8, 2024 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Rebecca Sta Maria |Sinclair Dinnen |Denghua Zhang |Chansambath Bong
As geopolitical tensions and concerns about the environment deepened, APEC’s 2023 agenda focused on fostering sustainable and inclusive development, highlighting its pivotal role as a forum for constructive discussion to promote international cooperation.
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Mar 7, 2024 | 
eastasiaforum.org | Denghua Zhang |Sinclair Dinnen |H.D.P. Envall |Thomas Wilkins
Following Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) devastating riots in early January 2024, Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko told journalists that in September 2023 China had offered to provide training, equipment and surveillance technology to the PNG police force. Further, the two countries are in the early stages of negotiations over potential security cooperation.
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Feb 8, 2024 | 
samoaobserver.ws | Enid Westerlund |Daniel Flitton |Denghua Zhang |Bernard Yergiora
As far as foreign aid goes, Germany stands as one of the world’s giants. In 2022, Germany was the OECD’s second largest donor by volume, after the US, and was the EU’s largest bilateral provider. In terms of aid as proportion of gross national income (GNI), it is by far the most generous country in the G7 cohort of large, advanced economies.
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Feb 8, 2024 | 
carnegieendowment.org | Darshana M. Baruah |Satyendra Prasad |Denghua Zhang
This Q&A was adapted from a Carnegie China live event assessing China-Pacific Islands relations. It has been edited for clarity.
Darshana M. Baruah: Within the geopolitical conversation, there is a notion that China comes with big amounts of cash and forces its development projects on countries in the Pacific.
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Feb 6, 2024 | 
lowyinstitute.org | Denghua Zhang
Last month, China signed a significant deal with Papua New Guinea, a downstream processing agreement to manufacture products using locally sourced nickel and cobalt. With this agreement, China is signalling a preparedness to help PNG industrialise. And it is exactly the kind of development pursued by PNG Prime Minister James Marape under his slogan to make the country the “Richest Black Christian Nation”.
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Jan 19, 2024 | 
carnegieendowment.org | Darshana M. Baruah |Satyendra Prasad |Denghua Zhang
In recent years, Beijing has emerged as a key economic and security player for Pacific island nations. At the same time, Pacific island states face a multitude of challenges, from the impact of climate change to rising great power competition. How do Pacific island nations view China’s growing engagements and what are their priorities with Beijing? What are China’s goals and ambitions in the South Pacific? How will China’s relations with Pacific island countries evolve in the years to come?
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Nov 28, 2023 | 
worldfinancialreview.com | Bernard Yegiora |Denghua Zhang
By Bernard Yegiora and Denghua ZhangChina has been steadily increasing its footprint in the Pacific in recent years as it attempts to deepen its influence and challenge the traditionally strong relationships many countries have with the US and Australia. But what do people in the Pacific think of China’s expanding interest and engagement in the region?
