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Post by ComfortZone on Aug 28, 2023 11:26:26 GMT 12
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Post by Cantab on Aug 28, 2023 12:30:59 GMT 12
There were 4 large US Airforce planes at the airport in Nadi and a NZ frigate at the Lautoka port, when we went through.
Chinese Infrastructure going in all over, new big roads, shopping malls and Hotels, better cellphone coverage than here at about 5% of the cost here too.
Money flying in all directions, cars clogging roads non-stop - used Jap imports flooding the place.
Fijians being the masters of taking everyone's money on offer are rolling in it, not sure whose winning but the battle is definitely on. Chinese, unlike most of the rest, actually turn up and build something, this helps there cause somewhat. Americans seem to like threats as a means of coercion, not usually so effective long term.
Lots of stuff seemed more organised and functioning than it used to be, felt a lot safer on the roads too.
Is it a good thing overall?
I don't think there is a right answer, maybe in hindsight in a couple of hundred years we will know.
The world is still trying to decide if Democracy is a good idea, Christianity seems to be going through a tough patch too.
Is China or the US right, is the UN right? India, Middle East, South America, Africa who knows best?
Civilisation seems to come and go, if people knew what was best for the world they would have convinced us all long ago.
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Post by em on Aug 28, 2023 19:55:36 GMT 12
There were 4 large US Airforce planes at the airport in Nadi and a NZ frigate at the Lautoka port, when we went through. Chinese Infrastructure going in all over, new big roads, shopping malls and Hotels, better cellphone coverage than here at about 5% of the cost here too. Money flying in all directions, cars clogging roads non-stop - used Jap imports flooding the place. Fijians being the masters of taking everyone's money on offer are rolling in it, not sure whose winning but the battle is definitely on. Chinese, unlike most of the rest, actually turn up and build something, this helps there cause somewhat. Americans seem to like threats as a means of coercion, not usually so effective long term. Lots of stuff seemed more organised and functioning than it used to be, felt a lot safer on the roads too. Is it a good thing overall? I don't think there is a right answer, maybe in hindsight in a couple of hundred years we will know. The world is still trying to decide if Democracy is a good idea, Christianity seems to be going through a tough patch too. Is China or the US right, is the UN right? India, Middle East, South America, Africa who knows best? Civilisation seems to come and go, if people knew what was best for the world they would have convinced us all long ago. Good points made there from a western perspective . I went to Samoa in 1991 after cyclone Ofa flattened the place , chasing some waves . My mate who organised the trip had lived there previously for 2 years while his wife did her GP internship at the hospital in Apia . He gave us a good rundown on the anti Chinese and Japanese sentiment on the island . There were unopened containers of medical aid on the main road outside the hospital a year on from the cyclone donated by China and Japan . Apparently the Japanese wanted to build golf courses and the Chinese wanted a monopoly on construction . We went back 5 years ago and they have still not let them in as far as i can tell . It’s easy to say Polynesian’s and Melanesian’s are lazy etc but they were doing fine until civilisation came along and told them gardening , fishing and hanging with the family wasn’t cricket . We told them they needed to go to church , be subservient and drink more Coke and sell us some land . Fiji is tricky they came very close to becoming an Indian enclave . The Indians eat , sleep and breathe business which is the polar opposite to the Fijian psyche of subsistence living at a leisurely pace . Neither is the right way but don’t forget we went there and modernised it for our convenience so if the Fijians want to take our cash and cruise , fair call I say . I find the pacific peoples pace of life and overall outlook on life refreshing , thank god it hasn’t been indoctrinated out of them completely by our do good , do it our way approach . |
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Post by GO30 on Aug 30, 2023 19:58:46 GMT 12
China has been buying influence in the Pacific for decades. They have been quietly knocking off the smaller nations and now after the bigger ones NZ media cares more about.
When I was in Kiribati in 94 they got them and were working hard on Tuvalu.
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