Page 10 - IB February 2024

Geopolitics Geopolitics

Nauru’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Lionel Aingimea (left) and Chairman of China International Development Agency, Luo Zhao-
hui, jointly unveil the plaque marking the official re-opening of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nauru, at the Menen Hotel,
in January. Photo: Government of the Republic of Nauru
WHOSE TUNE IS SWEETEST IN THE

PACIFIC GAME OF MUSICAL CHAIRS?

By Richard Naidu and that is with our close traditional partners.”
Australia and PNG sealed a security pact during Marape’s
Soon after Australia signed the Falepili union agreement visit to Australia in December.
with Tuvalu at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting in Asked whether his trip was an attempt to get Pacific leaders’
December, there was chatter that Nauru was next on the list backing of New Zealand joining AUKUS, Peters said the there
for a similar deal with the Australians. had been no movement since the US invited New Zealand to
But then, the players hopped to different chairs. In mid- participate in AUKUS last year.
January, two days after Taiwan’s presidential election, Nauru Commenting on these geopolitical developments, Pacific
announced it was going the One-China way “in the best Network on Globalisation (PANG) coordinator, Maureen
interests of the Republic and people of Nauru,” scrapping its Penjueli, said instead of dismissing Nauru’s decision as “purely
association with Taiwan since 1980 (with a brief, three-year China’s win”, it should be viewed as a growing confidence
switch to China from 2002 to 2005). and level of sophistication among Pacific Island countries to
In the era of growing Sino-US competition over the Pacific, drive their development agenda through their geopolitical
the move set off a flurry of speculation since it leaves the positioning.
Marshall Islands, Palau, and Tuvalu as Taiwan’s only allies in “For too long, Australia, New Zealand, EU, Japan and the
the Pacific. US by extension and its allies occupied privileged positions
New Zealand Foreign Minister, Winston Peters’ tour of the as partners of choice for our island countries. They remain
South Pacific at around the same time further stirred the partners of choice but the recent switches demand mutual
geopolitical cauldron after an earlier indication from Australia respect, [to] at least heed island countries’ foreign policies
that New Zealand was considering an invitation from the and their choices. Developed partners must focus on the
United States to join the non-nuclear Pillar Two of AUKUS – the development needs of island countries otherwise these
trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United switches back and forth will continue to occur.”
Kingdom, and the United States. Penjueli says despite Nauru hosting Australia’s refugee
It came as Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Justin camps to the detriment of its international standing, its basic
Tkatchenko, ahead of Prime Minister, James Marape’s historic health, education, access to clean water and electricity
address to the Australian Federal Parliament, issued PNG’s first infrastructure remain extremely poor.
direct statement on long-running speculation about a possible Since 2012, more than 4000 asylum seekers have passed
security agreement with China. through the Nauru centre, at a cost to the Australian
“I want to make this very clear – we are not pressing forward government of approximately A$350 million per year. The
with any security pact or agreement with China and look centre has been critical to Nauru’s economic base, although
forward to implementing the bilateral security arrangement there have been consistent reports in Australia that local
with Australia,” he told the ABC. “There’s been no revolt from politicians have personally gained from their operation.
China because we’re not supporting their policing policy – they Taiwan linked Nauru’s switch to the winding down of the
understand clearly where we stand on security in the region country’s offshore immigration detention arrangements with

10 Islands Business, February 2024