The 10th of October is a national day for both Fiji and Taiwan. For decades, Taipei’s trade office in Fiji has celebrated its event peacefully and respectfully with support from the host community in Suva. …
Articles by: "Richard Herr"
Prime Minister Scott Morrison made a point of emphasising Australia’s commitment to ‘our Pacific island family’ in his remarks at last week’s virtual special G20 summit. In addition to the support already provided for healthcare, …
My colleague Graeme Dobell declared recently that ‘Scott Morrison’s embrace of the “Pacific family” is goddamn genius.’ I have expressed a more cautionary view that claiming a place in the Pacific family could have unintended …
During ASPI’s recent panel discussion on the Pacific, Graeme Dobell referred to the Fiji–Australia Vuvale Partnership as an important pointer to Australia’s future ‘step-up’ relations with the Pacific islands region. He had written earlier this …
Just why the concept of soft power has become such an accepted explanation for the spread of Chinese influence in the Pacific islands is something of a conundrum. (The term ‘Pacific islands’ is used here …
President Xi Jinping’s attendance at the recent APEC summit in Port Moresby was meant to be the cap on a soft-power charm offensive validating Chinese influence in the Pacific. In the event, it has been …
The absence of Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama from the recent Pacific Islands Forum’s Leaders’ Meeting in Pohnpei wasn’t a surprise: he hasn’t attended a Forum Leaders’ Meeting since 2007. But taking away the commission …
The Pacific island states face real challenges in managing the security of marine resources in their EEZs. Australia supports maintaining the prosperity of the region mainly through the Pacific Patrol Boat Program, (twenty two boats …
The Valentine’s Day meeting in Suva between Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Fiji’s Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama proved more of a love-in than a confrontation. Predictions before the meeting suggested that confrontation—at least …
Is Russia about to become another brick in the wall between Fiji and its Western friends? The official visit by Fiji’s Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, to Russia in late June has further developed a …
On my flight home from Fiji recently, I was struck by the continuing negativism of the arguments regarding Australian relations with Fiji. Rowan Callick’s commentary in the Weekend Australian is another example of a tough …
A special meeting in Port Moresby on Wednesday has ended Fiji’s exclusion from the deliberations of the Pacific group of the European Union’s ACP (Asia Caribbean Pacific) association. That mightn’t sound like the biggest news …