China next to plunder Nauru
Could Trump demand Kiribati friendship & echoes of a world war
Around 80 percent of Nauru’s surface is barren strip-mined wasteland and now, with Chinese help, diplomatic moves are underway to destroy the rest of it.
Nauru’s 12,700 people are being told by their government that the final destruction of their 21 square kilometre island can be done, according to Chinese experts, using ‘environmentally sustainable mining practices’.
Trump has made no secret: America first. Kiribati might find out whether he means it. Below…
For Sāmoans the Māori Battalion was a way around a ‘50/50 rule’ which New Zealand imposed, requiring that no man over 50 percent Sāmoan could join the army. Below…
While a public devotee of the Pacific Forum’s Blue Pacific Continent, Nauru, as well as aiming at more land based environmental degradation, it is also playing a strategic role in getting deep sea mining underway.
In the meantime, the government owned Republic of Nauru Phosphate Corporation (Ronphos) exported 27,156 tonnes of rock phosphate - worth around US$9 million - to Nantong, China, aboard a bulk carrier Royal Spark.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Michael Field's South Pacific Tides to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.