Yes, there is no doubt that the CCP will garner support from some poorer countries.

Will be interesting to see how Papua New Guinea fares in longer term

Chris,

No surprise to me.

What still matters in PNG is Big Man status and so-called national politicians will be all over each other to get their hands on Chinese cash to turn into pigs and women back in their home town.

Problem for Australia: lots of Chinese military personnel in PNG all waiting for a signal from Emperor Xi for the big push south to secure China's Lebensraum.

The devaluation required by the IMF would increase the repayment of
the Chinese loans. Looks like the Central Kingdom will take direct
control of another of its vassal states.

Chris. Agree, and we should stop the foreign aid budget to PNG until they see which side of the bead has the butter on it. This money would be better spent on rapidly arming ourselves for far better very rapid response, self-defence.
Alan B.

So sad really, ever spiraling downwards since '75 Independence - and, from my experience, Aus didn't leave PNG in such great shape even then.

'73 Self-government to '75 Independence appeared a scramble for an organized handover, but leaving many legacies of relatively unfinished business founded in so many years of paternalistic mollycoddling, failures to fully engage the wider PNG community - especially in the West, the Highlands and the islands - and a relatively disorganized foundational example of how to manage such a complex and relatively fragmented society/nation.

Scrambles to find adequate expat replacements from a relatively limited pool of appropriately qualified nationals.
A higher education system with much potential, but given insufficient time to prepare the necessary leaders for such a mammoth undertaking - of handover, of government, services, finances, social service ...
Not a total debacle, but rather a blinkered leap into the deep end.

Sir Michael was a good leader, and Sir Julius, but the wantok cultural imperative always seemed destined to dash nascent hopes of productive national development. Many eager hands quickly dissipating funds and opportunity.

So very many prospects, but cultural/tribal expectations virtually ensured a most difficult and troubled governance road.

Wonderful people, sadly let down and left to struggle. Very unfortunate.

Well course. Only 27 countries not wanting China's 'help' voted against. And, the way thing are going in Australia, we will soon be voting in favour of Communist China to get favours from them, leading to our eventual loss of sovereignty. We won't be selling our country to them, they will be taking it.

The Federal government needs to step in on Victoria's Belt & Roads agreement
before it is finalised. Even the delay caused by a high court fight
would be worthwhile.
What could be done if Victoria's sovereignty was compromised ?
In fact could it be compromised ?
Certainly its financial sovereignty could be compromised.
State taxation could be increased, vehicle registration, land stamp
duty etc etc. All at the demand of the Central Kingdom.
Vassal states just pay up and don't argue.

Bazz,

I get the impression you don't want to be part of Australia's Chinese future.

Bit late though given the enemy is already inside the gate.

Bit late though given the enemy is already inside the gate.
Mr Opinion,
Yes and, they're not even Chinese, they were born here, are white & claim to be Australian !

individual,

Tell me more. You have my undivided attention. How many can you name?

How many can you name?
Mr Opinion,
If you know how many Lefties there are then you have the numbers, the names you'll have to get yourself !

The author, who has been an advisor to the PNG government is criticising it for supporting national security laws implemented by China in Hong Kong. Claiming they effectively crushed free speech and freedom of assembly there. From seeing alternative viewpoints on sources largely other than the western mainstream media and being aware of how organisations - including some backed with financial and logistical help from the CIA on behalf of US interests often covertly meddle in internal affairs of other countries, to me it is not surprising that authorities in Hong Kong have had to clamp down. Have seen comments attributed to Hong Kong locals that protests and civil unrest have obviously largely been orchestrated from abroad.

Looking at the long list of countries that supported the Chinese government's actions, it includes many which have experienced first hand civil unrest largely due influence of powerful overseas interests. Especially from the US, whose representatives regularly claim they are trying to "spread democracy". In fact, this is often to try and replace leaders who act in the interests of their own people with ones more inclined to take directions from Washington. Nowadays thanks to alternative news sites not controlled by mainstream western interests and the social media on the Internet, what really has gone on behind the scenes gets more quickly and widely exposed than in the past. And much of the most scathing whistleblowing type information has often come from experienced "insiders".

Mox
Claiming that they are trying to "spread democracy", the United States since the end of the Second World War has bombed and/or invaded
Afghanistan 1998, 2001-
Bosnia 1994, 1995
Cambodia 1969-70
China 1945-46
Congo 1964
Cuba 1959-1961
El Salvador 1980s
Korea 1950-53
Guatemala 1954, 1960, 1967-69
Indonesia 1958 Laos 1964-73
Grenada 1983
Iraq 1991-2000s, 2015-
Iran 1987

Kuwait 1991
Lebanon 1983, 1984
Libya 1986, 2011-
Nicaragua 1980s
Pakistan 2003, 2006- Palestine 2010
Panama 1989
Peru 1965
Somalia 1993, 2007-08, 2010-
Sudan 1998
Syria 2014-
Vietnam 1961-73
Yemen 2002, 2009-
Yugoslavia 199

"spread democracy",
Leslie,
Yeah, just as the Media & Education or rather, indoctrination outfits here bombard us with all things democratic ! For their own gain of course !

Jeffrey Wall Public Affairs, which lists former ALP state secretary Cameron Milner as one of only two consultants, pocketed $118,000 for providing strategic advice to Stanwell Energy over 12 months to April this year.

What, if any positives eventuated for Stanwell Energy ? The same as PNG perhaps ?

PNG is a sovereign nation. It’s perfectly entitled to vote however it likes in the UN. And it has every right to reject IMF offers and the nasty conditions that come with them. What gives Australia the right to intervene? It’s not as though our intentions are necessarily any more honourable than any other country’s. Ok Tedi taught PNG that lesson. And if the national memory had waned, the Manus Island detention centre certainly refreshed it.

China’s national security laws have been an understandable response to the externally-provoked violence in Hong Kong. These protests are no organically-evolving home-grown movement. They've been very deliberately fomented by the CIA in order to get at China. Photographic evidence clearly shows the ring leaders meeting with CIA operatives and US Consulate officials. The money trail reveals them being funded by the soft power financing arm of the CIA, the National Endowment for Democracy. The UN ... including PNG ... acted correctly and astutely in supporting China’s handling of the situation.

And PNG ... along with 120 other countries ... is wise to sign up to the Belt and Road Initiative. It’s much more likely to afford developing countries mutual trade and infrastructure opportunities than the majority of the West’s invasive and exploitative investment has ever done.

Wow, Bronwyn must have hacked the Five Eyes network.
We all knew of course that it is about the Manus Island naval base.
That is not news, the dog's have been barking it in the street.
>Photographic evidence clearly shows the ring leaders meeting with CIA
Yes, we know they have cameras everywhere including here if needed.

It is interesting to see such a firm China line appearing on here.
It would be equally at home in the Sth China Post.

Bronwyn said last month;
There is no evidence whatever to prove that the Chinese government is
engaged in cyber hacking and Scott Morrison’s clumsy attempt to
implicate the Chinese leadership was nothing more than baseless and
diversionary mud-throwing.

Really ? Even the commercial anti virus companies know about it.
You can inagine what the governement hackeries know and they won't tell you.
The US even got the names of the Chinese hackers and a photo of the
building where they worked.
Of course it is going on.

Bletchly Park is alive and well !

Bazz,

Why do you think Bronwyn is such an avid supporter of the Chinese?

Common sense and technical knowledge.