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Solomon Islands Says China Not Influencing Diplomatic Decisions

By Ben Strang Solomon Islands defended its move to bar some partners from an influential summit of South Pacific leaders, brushing aside claims on Thursday of a looming split or that China is influencing its decisions.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Says ‘Outsiders’ Meddling in Regional Summit

By Ben Strang New Zealand's foreign minister said Thursday that foreign influence was threatening to split an upcoming annual summit of South Pacific leaders. Foreign Minister Winston Peters sounded the warning as the region's top ...

New Zealand Halts Aid to Cook Islands Over China Deals

New Zealand's government halted aid to close partner the Cook Islands on Thursday because of a row over agreements the Pacific island nation struck with China. New Zealand "paused" the payments and would not resume them until the Cook Islands took ...

New Zealand Says ‘Blindsided’ by Cook Islands’ China Overture

New Zealand said Friday it had been "blindsided" by the Cook Islands' plans to sign a major agreement with China and issue its own passports. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said he had not been consulted on the moves by the Cook ...

New Zealand Says ‘Seriously Concerned’ by China’s Increased Security Actions in Pacific

New Zealand's foreign minister on Friday criticized China's bid for an increased security presence in the Pacific Islands, warning against actions that could "destabilize" or undermine regional security. "China has a long-standing presence in the Pacific, but we are seriously concerned about increased engagement ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

Plugging into African Agency

After several years of declining funding, the African end of the Belt and Road Initiative seems to be roaring back. The newest Griffith University/Green Development Finance Center data on the Belt and Road Initiative shows that engagement with Africa jumped by 395%, while a few big projects boosted engagement in Nigeria alone more than twelvefold.
These shifts indicate a window of opportunity for African electrification. 60% of Africans still ...

WEEK IN REVIEW: China to Reportedly Launch International Hunt for Officials Suspected of Corruption in BRI Projects

The Chinese government will reportedly launch an international hunt for officials suspected of corruption in Belt and Road Initiative projects. This will form part of a wider crackdown on corruption in President Xi Jinping’s signature infrastructure and connectivity project. The strike will involve several state agencies and will ...