Some tough questions about China's intent
16 November 2010
BY ROBERT PALMER
THE NATIONAL newspaper has recently praised John Momis, President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, for his attitude towards China.
Mr Momis, who was until last year PNG’s ambassador to China, has just returned from an official visit there with a Bougainville delegation.
He says China provides a model that PNG should follow, pointing to China’s dramatic change over the last 30 years to become a world superpower.
Mr Momis said an important part of the success of China was its collaboration and establishment of partnerships with credible foreign investors.
It may well be that Mr Momis went to China with rose tinted glasses and his view of China demands that some tough questions be asked.
As ambassador, did he travel to all parts of China? Did he visit the industrial cities to see the pollution? Did he daily drink clean not polluted water? Did he visit gaols? Did he swim in the Yang-Tse River, or any other river? Did he visit Tibet?
What did he think when he walked through Tianenmen Square? Did he feel the PNG government should treat peaceful demonstrators like that? In China, anti-corruption campaigner Noel Anjo would be serving 12 years in gaol, together with others who criticise the government.
Mr Momis must not think that China started its march to progress just 30 years ago. There was a bureaucracy in China 3,000 years ago. Entry to public service was by competitive exams. China had to fight invaders for its independence and was not given independence on a plate as we saw in PNG.
It is arguable that China is now exploiting the developing countries of the world, adding to the misery of the people through a regime of low wages and harsh standards.
China cares little about the environment either in China or the developing countries lured with infrastructure gifts.
China plans to dominate every nation in years to come through the movement across borders – legally or illegally - of Chinese people.
It could be that PNG is on its way to becoming a vassal state.
Propaganda hides truth but this blog has been showing truthful insights about China. The penny has not dropped yet that China is planning on restructuring the world of nations.
We could not imagine a railway link from China to South Africa. That is fantasy, says Keith, but there may be a grain of truth as China appears to be thinking as big as that. The US may be squeezed out of the Indian Ocean.
Where does that leave Australia? I am sure that strategic studies involves a lot of "what ifs". Some come to reality if we examine accurately enough. China is thinking of a naval base in Fiji and that is not leading the readers around in circles.
The "what if" brigade in Australia drew the Brisbane Line in 1942 to let the Japanese take the north. It may have been needed if not for the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway [sic]. "What if" the Japanese had taken over Papua New Guinea? China will be more subtle than that.
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Eric - If you want to quote me, quote me correctly. I did not say that "a railway link from China to South Africa ... is fantasy" - although I would agree the notion is fanciful.
If you cannot quote me correctly, how do readers know you are quoting other facts correctly, for example, when you refer to the Brisbane Line, a theory which you need to research more thoroughly - KJ
Posted by: Eric Taylor | 20 November 2010 at 11:05 AM
I am persuaded, Keith. Where else will we get information for such understanding? It seems to me that all that is written by Neil Appleby and Rod Everett is based on reports from Google. Their writings are excellent.
I am understanding much about the world situation from what has been written. I can see that China is throwing a huge net over the Indian and Pacific oceans.
Appleby and Everett are showing themselves to be specialists on your blog. So many other writers just present stories from their past.
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All I can say, M Kila, is that you are easily persuaded - KJ
Posted by: M Kila | 20 November 2010 at 08:32 AM
Yes the "unity" of the Chinese people,it is common enough knowledge that due to the government mandated policy of one child many of China's baby girls were literally murdered by their own families.
A son was considered of more use in the fields when the government dictated how many children could be had.
This regime of China will likely as not, not veer very far from it's roots as nothing more than a brutal far left Socialist dictatorship.
Just how foolish must some people be to think that a country that mistreats it's own citizens will treat the people of resource rich nations as anything other than usefull idiots to paraphrase that butcher Stalin's own words.
China will be a dangerous friend to those foolish enough to get too close.
Fear for the safety and wellbeing of PNG is well founded. After all, the Chinese do not place value on the lives of their own people so why should the people of PNG fare any better.
Posted by: Stephen Cox | 19 November 2010 at 11:38 PM
I well remember the fresh mornings after a night of rain, and the early sun dispensing its wide cheer.
Ah, New Guinea; you know how to smile.
Posted by: Laurie Meintjes | 19 November 2010 at 09:23 AM
Laurie - Thanks mate and have a great weekend. It rained 'cats and dogs' in Moresby yesterday arvo and into the night, but it's a beautiful sunny morning today.
Hope the weekend holds out with the sunshine as we are now into the monsoon season with the rains a little late in coming this year.
Posted by: Reginald Renagi | 19 November 2010 at 08:20 AM
No sweat, Reginald.
It has just occurred to me that you might have thought my "Wake up!" comment was directed at your previous post (17 November 2010 at 09:34 AM). It wasn't. It was a response to the post before that.
Posted by: Laurie Meintjes | 18 November 2010 at 09:21 AM
Laurie - What I said was in good faith and not meant for any specific bloggers here.
I also see where you are coming from, and I could not agree with you.
I just hope our government and the pollies do their research and don't get too sucked in by China, or other foreign countries for that matter.
Your comments are, as always, well intentioned and will no doubt be taken note of for some policy action by those responsible in Waigani, and Canberra.
Posted by: Reginald Renagi | 17 November 2010 at 03:12 PM
"Every man and his dog of late has been so obsessed with what China is doing, that they have all forgotten where Australia fits into all this" - Reg Renagi
Reginald, old mate, let me tell you why this particular Aussie and his dog have chosen to comment about PNG's cosying up to China.
It is simply because I care a great deal about PNG and her long-term future, and would like to urge caution in what seems to be a headlong rush into the Chinese orbit.
If a closer relationship with China is what PNG wants, then that is her prerogative.
However, before rushing into this relationship, PNG would be very wise to carry out a careful background check of China's existing arrangements with other countries.
And a good place to start that enquiry is Africa. China's association with several African countries is a mixed bag of good and bad. And some hints of what that 'bad' might be are already surfacing in PNG.
All I urge is caution, and there does not seem to be too much of this about lately.
Posted by: Laurie Meintjes | 17 November 2010 at 12:04 PM
Every man and his dog of late in recent months has been so obsessed with what China is doing, that they have all forgotten where Australia fits into all this.
What has this to do with improving the future relationship between PNG and Australia?
That's the whole aim of KJ's 'PNG Attitude'. This constant talk of China by some well-meaning Aussies in this forum really tells me a lot of Australia's attitude towards PNG.
Forget about China and let's get back to improving relations between PNG and Australia.
As long as Australia and Australians show some tinge of arrogance and an arms length kind of 'them and us' attitude, they wonder why PNGeans feel resentful lately.
It only pushes PNG further away from its former colonial ruler.
Posted by: Reginald Renagi | 17 November 2010 at 10:51 AM
And PNG won't become enslaved, one way or another to China? Wake up!
Posted by: Laurie Meintjes | 17 November 2010 at 08:59 AM
PNG can learn a lot from China without needlessly killing its own people in the name of progress and development.
There many lessons to be learned from China and other countries.
PNG must not repeat the many bad mistakes others have made in what she is going through now.
Posted by: Reginald Renagi | 17 November 2010 at 08:34 AM
No - it's not simply a matter of White and Coloured. It's a matter of how we want to live on and with our planet. As a family - the strong help the weak. Or as money slaves - the American way of life.
Posted by: C Romanow | 16 November 2010 at 07:44 PM
So it is simply a matter of White and Coloured, and Whitey is getting his just deserts. What an unenlightened piece of selective revisionism that is!
Posted by: Laurie Meintjes | 16 November 2010 at 05:17 PM
In Asia, India, America and Africa. Nobody likes the white.
They stole the land. They stole the raw materials. They stole the children. They killed the people.
In the end the Chinese people revolted against these unjust exploiters and decided to get them out of their country.
Posted by: C Romanow | 16 November 2010 at 04:21 PM
I have read the report from Zambia below and understand the response of the Zambian people. There are a number of points to be raised:
(1) Chinese management had weapons.
(2) The Chinese were said to have fired in self defence at angry miners throwing objects at them.
(3) The President is believed to have taken no action.
(4) The anger was over no pay for time they were not required to work.
(5) Anger exists among the Zambian writers to the blog below about double standards that would come if a Zambian had shot Chinese in China.
(6) Some writers to the blog referred to Chinese convicts.
http://www.lusakatimes.com/2010/10/16/chinese-nationals-arrested-shooting-12-zambian-miners/
I can understand the Chinese attitude to no pay for no work. That applies generally to young girls in fast food shops in PNG. If there is the Queen’s Birthday, the girls either work ("She no my Queen”) or they get no pay.
There is no idea among Chinese that workers have to buy food for family, pay school fees and pay for family clothes, medicine. "You no work. You no get pay".
What is this rubbish we read about Sinophobia? Is that the same as Naziphobia?
The Chinese already pay workers at Ramu NiCo below award wages that are really starvation wages.
If we keep following the situation in Zambia, we will find massive violence against the Chinese management.
The people under the Chinese yoke have to keep talking to one another. The Chinese in China must know this is happening.
If Ramu NiCo fired on village workers, they will not get to the ship in time. There will be mobile phones all the way down to the wharf. This is not a threat but a warning in the interests of the Chinese management.
Posted by: Ben Manoi | 16 November 2010 at 11:13 AM