China has taken Fiji’s side in its continuing standoff with Australia and NZ in dramatic fashion, startling the region’s diplomats with some very undiplomatic comments in Fiji’s defence. They didn’t come in an unnamed commentary in the Chinese media – where tough statements are usually code for what Beijing thinks – but from the mouth of the country’s second most powerful figure during a visit to Fiji. The comments of Wu Bangguo – the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People”s Congress and number two in the Communist Party hierarchy – signal a major geopolitical shift. China is now putting his mouth where its money has been for some time – providing soft loans to Fiji at generous interest rates of just two per cent. It is now sending a clear signal to Australia in particular – which derives most of its wealth from mineral exports to China – that the days of Fiji being stood over are at an end. China has forged a special relationship with Fiji, will strongly support it politically and economically and there’s nothing Canberra or Wellington can do about it except ruminate on the folly on their policy of exclusion in the first place.
Chairman Wu was careful in his public comments in Nadi not to refer to Australia and NZ by name. But his message was unmistakable. “We are opposed to the bullying of big regionally strong countries over the small or weak countries. The Chinese are opposed to the imposition of isolation by some countries over Fiji and China will continue to talk to relevant countries to engage in constructive and equal footing engagement and on the basis of equality and solidarity of differences”, he said. The message to Australia and NZ is blunt: Stop bullying Fiji. Stop isolating it. China will continue to try to persuade you to engage with Fiji in a constructive way and on an equal footing.
Right from the start, everything about Chairman Wu’s was big, starting with the plane that brought him. Using an Air China Boeing 747 jumbo jet for a relatively small delegation was clearly designed to impress. And impress it did, dwarfing the 737s around it at Nadi Airport and turning the beefy RFMF guard of honour into toy soldiers by comparison. The warmth of the welcome was unmistakable from both the President, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau and Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. The business of diplomacy necessitates being friendly. But the Fiji Government is increasingly coming to regard China as a true friend as opposed to what it sees as the fair weather friends to the south. Chairman Wu and his wife were also beaming, clearly impressed by both the military and vaka turaga ceremonial welcomes and the chance to sample some of the sights around Nadi.
According to the Chairman, China-Fiji relations are characterised by mutual political trust and the two countries have an understanding and strong support of each other’s key interests and major concerns. “All countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor are all equal members of the international community”, Mr Wu said. In Fiji Government circles, the contrast between this attitude and what is seen as the punitive and petty attitude of Australia and NZ couldn’t be more stark.
Attitudes within government and the military are understood to have hardened significantly since Australia and NZ again thwarted Fiji’s re-admittance to the Pacific Forum at the leader’s summit in Rarotonga last month. After some clear signals that a thaw might be in the offing, Canberra and Wellington strong-armed the other island nations into maintaining Fiji’s suspension. The dismay in government is palpable. All this happened while half a million Fijian voters were trudging to registration centres to sign up for the promised election in 2014. Dozens of people have also been presenting submissions to hearings around the country of the Constitutional Commission. And Australia and NZ say Fiji hasn’t provided enough evidence that it is serious about returning to democracy?
Make no mistake, the resulting anger means that Fiji doesn’t really care about the Pacific Forum any longer. It regards it as beholden to the Aussies and Kiwis, who it thinks have turned some of the other island leaders into stooges, and is in no hurry to rejoin the once preeminent regional body. Fiji also no longer cares particularly about whether it remains suspended from the Commonwealth. The more that suspension also continues, the less reason there is for Fiji to remain a member.
The deep anger towards Australia intensified this week after the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) renewed its call for a tourist boycott of Fiji. It did so after Fiji asked an allegedly partisan delegation from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to leave the country until new terms of reference can be formulated for a new visit by another, less partisan delegation. The boycott call also came against the backdrop of a longstanding dispute between the Government and the Fiji Trades Union Congress, which it accuses of being dominated by “fat cats” stubbornly refusing to accept labour reform.
No-one familiar with the traditional argy bargy between reforming governments and trade unions doesn’t expect a fair degree of flak. But for the ACTU to call for a tourism boycott doesn’t hurt the Fiji Government but the jobs of vulnerable, decent, hardworking ordinary Fijians. Grubsheet will have more to say in the coming days about the appalling behaviour of the FTUC in launching action in the United States that threatens some 15-thousand jobs in 39 Fijian companies that export our goods to the American market. But to encourage a tourism boycott by Australians is the height of selfishness and irresponsibility on the part of the miserable Felix Anthony and Daniel Urai.
On the streets, no-one cares about their dispute with government. Go ahead and fight it but fight it fair. Don’t jeopardise the jobs of ordinary Fijians who don’t understand any of it and don’t care. Each day is a struggle to put food on the table, get the kids to school, stay sane and hope for a better life. Why should they be the pawns in a struggle to the death to protect union privileges?
The current widespread resentment towards Australia also includes yet another appalling demonstration of bias by the ABC and Radio Australia, the country’s public broadcaster. During the week, the ABC’s Pacific correspondent, Sean Dorney, did a story entitled “Horror Story a warning to Fiji visitors”. It was a heart wrenching yarn about what happened to a former Fiji resident, Clarissa Seeto, when her father got ill in Nadi, the family put him on a plane to Sydney and he died before he could get proper medical help. As the Permanent Secretary for Tourism, Elizabeth Powell, put it, no Fijian would not have been moved by the family’s pain at such a tragic event. But why was it a warning to Fiji visitors? There are adequate medical facilities in Nadi and even more adequate ones in Lautoka yet the family took a decision to place a very ill person on a four-hour flight to Sydney. Is Grubsheet being callous by pointing out that perhaps such a decision may have been unwise under the circumstances? Such incidents happen, people respond as best they can and Fiji naturally needs to do more to make sure there are protocols in place for such eventualities. But did the country deserve the battering it got for an unfortunate episode involving one family? Does the ABC report that the “horror story” of a visiting Irish teenager bashed in Kings Cross is a warning to Australian visitors? Of course it doesn’t.
This was yet another kicking from a Pacific correspondent who is on the record expressing upset that he continues to be banned from Fiji. Coming at the same time as the ACTU’s call for a tourist ban on Fiji, there was also an unseemly whiff of collusion between the ACTU and the ABC to “have a go” at the country, as the Aussies are fond of putting it. Seen separately, both the boycott call and the ABC’s “warning” to Australian visitors were a disgrace. Together, they look decidedly sinister. Fijians love ordinary Australians for their warm, unpretentious ways and their generosity of spirit. The bonds between the two peoples are indivisible and will outlast any union leader or politician. But right now, ordinary Fijians have ample cause to be deeply upset about their jobs being directly threatened by Australian unions and a public broadcaster with a history of bias against the country.
Hey, you forgot the disclaimer: GRAHAM DAVIS IS A PAID PROPAGANDIST FOR QORVIS COMMUNICATIONS.
http://fijimediawars.blogspot.com/2012/09/grubby-blogger-opens-up-can-of-worms-on.html
At least it’s disclosed, Marc. You continue to refuse to disclose whether you received any benefit or consideration from the owners of your apartment block for your simpering endorsement in the Fiji Times of a commercial enterprise using your position at USP. People in glass houses, as they say. Or maybe you will finally come clean? I will ask the Media Authority what they think. If you were in Australia, you would have lost your job already for your lack of transparency.
You haven’t read my lastest blog entry.
#DYINGOFSHAME
http://fijitoday.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/grubby-blogger-opens-up-a-can-of-worms-on-himself/
#FREEFALLINGINTOTHEABYSS
Quite seriously, Marc, you are nuts.
Marc at least Graham gives your crap air time on his site we don’t even get out articles published in C4.5 when we differ with their opnions!
I urge everyone to read this piece by Marc Edge about me. It proves beyond doubt that he is unfit to head the School of Journalism at USP. Leaving aside the content, It has taken Marc several months to address the question I originally posed about whether he received any benefit from the owners of his apartment block for his puff piece in the Fiji Times. This hardly meets accepted standards of accountability in a publicly funded position, given that he blatantly used his position at USP to promote a commercial enterprise.
Well done, Marc. When I’ve asked you before, you’ve told me to drop dead so I guess we can be thankful that you’ve finally deigned to address this important ethical question. But isn’t it rather strange that when you eventually deny receiving any benefit, it gets buried in the body of a story attacking me? What’s that old line about attack being the best form of defence?
You seem to have no self awareness at all, let alone any concept about being held accountable in the important job you hold. Instead of having to endure your idle threats, let’s get the relevant authorities to sort this out once and for all. I can provide them with the emails I’ve received from some of your students, if those students are willing to allow me to pass them on. The picture that emerges is far less flattering than your attempted axe job on me.
So what? What an impressive account of social and political development in Fiji.
Ausrtalia and New Zealand are losing the plot in Fiji-maybe better for the future.Soon the puppets in other Pacific nations will realise their fickleness and follow Fiji’s march to self determination with pride.
Tell me whats new with Australia & NZ with regards to Fiji! It appears now we are getting futher and futher away from each other and this issue of not allowing Fiji back into the Forum could have been done via several means, especially with the registration process for general electios already underway. Fiji could have come back into the Forum as a holding partial memebership of the Forum etc but nay both Australia & NZ wanted to stamp their authority. Its very a simple case of both of them not able to shake off this idea that they know whats best for the South Pacific countries! What they don’t seem to understand is once the countries such Vanuatau , Solomons, P & G and also the Kanaks in New Caledonia are watching with great interest how and which way Fiji ahs stared to move. I am of the opinion that Fiji has already made its neighbours who have supported it thru these difficult times know exactly where its headed whether Fiji comes back into the Forum or not that this new found relationship with China could end up the same that Hong Kong is now! Not possible? Just look at the direction and words coming out of Fijis Foreigh Minister even when he was in Australia! There’s no turning back now unless someone can see both Australia & NZ changing their minds about Fiji -i have mentioned it sometime back in other news sites that Fiji had its back to the wall and the two power players n the Pacific played the wrong cards! Their thinking & treament of Fiji when Voreqe took over was simple, scare them, threaten them, cut aid, cut ties with other neighbouring South Pacific countries, get other South Pacific Countries to do their dirty jobs for them! It all failed! None of them seem to have understood what was happening in Fiji, not understood the previous coups, not understood Voreqes position! To both of them it was a simple case of democracy!! It still diid not occur to them that we had democracy thrown out the door in 1987 and anyone that had lived thru that knew that it was coming back because the fire and courage to do it once was was forever there & all it needed was some rekindling. The subversive elements who brought this about where always there only now they were no longer on the sidelines BUT right up front in various forms no longer in disguise! Who-ever was briefing the Leaders of Australia & NZ was either blind or was happy for these processes to continue. All else is now history.
@ Marc edge
Another shameless attempt at self promotion. Appaling that you have to use Davis site to grab some media is pathetic. So what if he consults for Qorvis, at least he is transparent. What about that apartment you are living in and the editorial in the Fiji Times, how many time can you ignore that question. In the world of ethics you are comming dead last.
Well said Maxie.
Graham does not need me to defend him. Nor am I a paid consultant for Qorvis. Nor do I care that they provide services to the US Food & Drug Administration, Amazon, Virgina Lottery, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia or indeed Fiji. Nor does it matter to me that Graham is a consultant for Qorvis. What matters is whether the lives of ordinary Fijians is being improved on a day to day basis.
But the attribution of a subjective quality (“nasty reputation”) in referring to an article written in an objective manner on the ALLGOV.com website should not go unanswered.
it would be useful if Mr. Edge were to point out where in the article written by Noel Brinkerhoff and David Wallechinsky titled “Qorvis Always Ready to Lobby for Dictators” on the ALLGOV.com website does it say that Qorvis has a “nasty reputation worldwide”. The article makes no such statement and the article is about ONE of its “most controversial clients” – Bahrain. Towards the end the article makes reference to “… dictators of Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Equatorial Guinea”.
Perhaps Mr. Edge might explain whether the US also has a “nasty reputation” because it provides assistance to the rulers of Bahrain or Saudi Arabia. I am sure that Noam Chomsky might have something (or a lot) to say on that subject.
Furthermore other references by Mr. Edge to partisan articles does not assist in an objective assessment in relation to the assertions made.
Really when you look at it Mr. Edge’s articles does not have much original work at all. A lot of it is material taken from contributions made by others from Grubsheet itself, contributions having been made by those that have chosen not to reveal their true identities.
The childish cut and paste effort is nothing more than using anon others to attack Graham in response to an article highlighting issues of national importance to the people of Fiji. It would be more productive for Mr. Edge to make contributions to and comment on the substance of this article.
Marc. The only people who are dying of shame are your students. I wonder how they feel about your public and very unprofessional outbursts.
Maxie- Why bother replying to this Edge IDIOT!
Mark Edge- PLEASE TAKE YOUR COMMENTS AND ARTICLES TO WHERE THEY BELONG-C4.5
The discussion , standards,and garbage on c4.5 is clearly your standard and if they have a contributor of the week/month award- U WILL WIN AT ALL TIMES
Graham I am back.
Congratulations you have followed the brief perfectly and got in every point you were asked to highlight by Qorvis who were in turn briefed by the Ministry of Information.
But as ever you are writing propaganda and the article is very light on facts and the real information.
China has kindly given Fiji a $200m loan to build the Dreketi highway. This highway is 70km long. Fiji’s own Public Works department charges $1m per km of tar sealed road. Even our esteemed Minister of Finance, Conmemore Bainimarama should notice the difference the $130m difference.
In effect we are borrowing nearly 300% more money than we actually need. So that means the interest rate is in fact above 6% per annum.
In addition we have to pay the loan back in a foreign currency.
The Road is going to be built by Chinese workers, using Chinese materials. As a result we will probably only see between $30-50m of that loan in Fiji the rest will remain in China.
Even at a low 2% after 20 years the Fijians will have paid the Chinese $297m for 70 km of road. That is more than 4 times the amount we could have built it ourselves, using Fijian labour and Fijian materials using equipment we could reuse on other building projects. Instead China is exporting jobs and materials to Fiji and making a $230m profit at the same time.
No wonder China likes doing business with a no school dictator who is either is too stupid to notice he is letting his country get ripped off or some of that $230m profit is finding its way into his pocket.
Still thanks for your independent opinion it really clarified my thoughts and has confirmed you are nothing but a hired hack writing propaganda for a dictator.
So why dont Australia & NZ come up with a better offer to build the road?
You are pissing into the wind with your impractical deas
Good one Kathy ! Me thinks they will quote a price of a couple of millions then take back 80% of it thru use of Aussie Consultants has happend before! As for the use of Chinese material well right now the Giver of the loan can decide what and who will do the job-no different from what the Aussies are doing right now in Nauru. In case you may have missed it they could have called for tenders but nay they using what the ARMY & AIR FORCE! Now is that the role the armed forces are trained for? So far i haven’t seen 1 Nauruan on the work site? As for Manus Island them black fallows have finally woken up and want a slice of the pie-only this time the asking price begins in the millions of Aussie dolars!
Sigh. I repeat: I do not get instructions from anyone about what I write. I write what I please and they are my beliefs, honestly held. Yes, “G is a sellout”, you’re back. So what? Do you want a band, marching girls and a cake? Your hubris is showing, dear. Hitch it up.
This analysis on costs is very interesting – didn’t think of that one – and the counter comments to above also are – also cleverly and intelligently countered – esp those by Moto Bitu and Jukebox.
Strictly on the issue of costs – perhaps there are other costs to be met from the $297m. Speculating here – maybe it also includes the cost of building bridges, compensating landowners for damages to their properties, etc.
But all these were not the central issue here – so maybe Govt would be able to clarify to us later.
But all in all – thanks for all the comments and analysis of the article and all the counter comments. Maybe in time we’ll be able to see the whole picture.
Good day to you all.
@MARC EDGE
Crazy Baldheads
Them crazy, them crazy
We gonna chase those crazy
Baldheads out of town
Chase those crazy baldheads
Out of town
I and I build a cabin
I and I plant the corn
Didn’t my people before me
Slave for this country
Now you look me with a scorn
Then you eat up all my corn
We gonna chase those crazy baldheads
Chase them crazy
Chase those crazy baldheads out of town
Build your penitentiary, we build your schools
Brainwash education to make us the fools
Hate is your reward for our love
Telling us of your God above
We gonna chase those crazy
Chase those crazy baldheads
Chase those crazy baldheads out of town
Here comes the conman
Coming with his con plan
We won’t take no bribe, we got stay alive
We gonna chase those crazy
Chase those crazy baldheads
Chase those crazy baldheads out of town
Great piece Mr Davis! If i was you, I wouldnt worry so much about the ramblings from Marc Edge! He’s become a subject of ridicule as it is amongst media outlets & personnel in the country for his “crusade” to save the entire South Pacific! (and he wonders why there wasn’t a big representation from us at his circus of symposium!) However, IF Marc is “big enough” to respond to these questions, it would make me feel much content with the world;
(1) How many of your students actually turn out to be journalists? I know most graduate and become PR gurus as well (or they try to be)!
(2) What can your qualification on that side of the world bring for us on this side of the world?
(3) Why are you so hated amongst your own peers?
(4) Is it true that the only reason you STAYED on in Fiji was because you really have nothing back in Canada (formerly known as America Junior)?
Come of Marc give Marcy the courtesy of a reply?
@ Graham is a sell out.
Please disclose the source of your statistics or don’t bother quoting them.
@ Graham is a sell out,
Fella surely an educated citizen like you would be able to see the bigger picture, yes China would be using most of their workers but there’s two big positive on these loans,
Firstly, we will have road improvements along with other positives that comes mainly more access to certain things for the common family.
Secondly now this is what I think is great, we will be able to show Aus/NZ that the time for relying on them is now in history. Their Aus aid with strings, their pull in pacific island forum, their sanctions etc is now nothing but a failure, and that is a huge statement not only to them but to the rest of the pacific.
You see Aus/NZ thrives on countries in the pacific being faced with racial dividends and not really democratic constitutions and policies because it enables them to have control. They’re now scared that what Fiji has done could have knock on effects around the pacific and that power they so enjoyed for decades is now under threat and their recent attempt to derail the tourists industry in Fiji is a sign of desperation which means Fiji is actually succeeding in giving them the fingers.
And the long term effect is Fiji will be able to negotiate better economical positives for the country because no longer will our hands be tied by Aus/NZ. Yes China may have profits on their loans but the room they gave us in order to manouver the dimplomatic mine fields of colonial Aus/NZ is monumental.
So if you look at it this way, that loan interest is the price of breaking the shackles of our colonial past then I think that is a price well worth paying.
Sa dri yani.
Moto Bitu i couldn’t have said it better! Maybe “@Graham is a sell out” could assist us by getting Aussie & NZ to give us loans at the same rate China is assisting Fiji! No wonder the African countries are always in strife when they get a loan from these European countries! The interest rates are just so high. In not just a simple case of returning to democracy for Fiji-Aussie and NZ have already ripped out parts of Fiji when it was a Colony then they took off no different in what they did to Nauru and paid peanuts for the phosphate and left the small island country like a the surface of the moon! They now into P&G with the timber and mineral reources!
Graham,
As an award winning journalist, I am sure you are aware it can take a lifetime to build a credible reputation and only a second to destroy it. By signing up with Qorvis and spouting propaganda you have lost your credibility.
Qorvis have built their reputation on manipulating social media. It is what they are good at. Just look at this Huffington post article. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thor-halvorssen/pr-mercenaries-their-dict_b_863716.html I just love the headline don’t you? “PR MERCENARIES, THEIR DICTATOR MASTERS, AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS STAIN”. It seems so applicable to this discussion.
So you honestly expect your readers to believe that a professional outfit like Qorvis who understand the power of blogging will pay Graham Davis to write anything he likes. Sorry that sounds about as credible as your reputation.
There are 2 things you can do to try and retrieve the situation. Publish your Qorvis contract so your readers can understand what you are paid to do if it is not to write propaganda. This piece on China reads as if it was written by the Fiji Ministry of Foreign Affairs but in better English. Which is exactly what Qorvis are paid to do and by default what you are paid to do.
Secondly you could do an investigative piece on Fiji. Turn your attention on the Judiciary. Follow up on Justice Marshall; interview some people on both sides of the debate. Not just the AG and Chris Pryde.
By the way will you get upset again if I mention running into you at the AG’s office where you have been given desk space. Fair enough to go in there for the odd interview but I was really surprised to learn from you, you use it as your Suva base. That again casts another big question mark on your credibility.
The other thing you have achieved by signing up with Qorvis is cast doubt on the reality of the likes of Chand and Moto Bitu. Are they real or are they just more Qorvis hacks?
“G is a sell out”, you really are an A class twat. Your tone is preemptory, your suppositions way off the mark and you are totally out of line. Do you think I’m remotely concerned with your pathetic attempts to smear me? You still don’t have the courage to reveal your identity so you deserve no explanation whatsoever. I’m considering adding a new category to the two offences – racism and obscenity – which currently warrant being banned from this site. As things are, you will be the first to be banned for being boring.
I like this headline even better: “Qorvis Always Ready to Lobby for Dictators.”
http://www.allgov.com/news/us-and-the-world/qorvis-always-ready-to-lobby-for-dictators?news=844107
And Marc Edge is well qualified to preach after using his position at USP to promote condos for a private company. After that, he preaches journalism ethics to the class – with a straight face no doubt.
What a fine example for students to follow!
@ graham is a sell out,
Why are you diverting the debate into Graham’s Gorvis contracts fella? From your comments it’s clear you have an agenda, we all know what Gorvis does fella, manipulating the media is what all government does, Australia has been doing that for decades to us and the rest of the pacific, USA has been doing that to the world especially the Arab/middle east. Private companies or government it’s the way of the world fella, everytime you post about Qorvis you show that you’re just catching up on how the world really works fella.
About time you catch up quick, we all know about how propagandas and media manipulation works, what we’re looking at is the bigger picture and the long run. Fella regardless of what you think about how the current government does things the reality is that they’re the one leading us now, that’s a fact.
You’re acting like a argumentative journalists and that is a western trait fella, Fiji is a developing country and we first have to help build. Using first world tactic on developing world is a wrong strategic move fella, you may think it makes you sound like a western journalists and cool but fella this is not the time nor place for showing off, as admirable as it is you might wanna hold of on that move while we rebuild our nation and when we have a stable Fiji style democracy with the proper foundation perhaps then you could use that move.
Every moment you spent on the wrong tactic is time wasted, and meanwhile common families and villagers are praying and hoping for a better Fiji whilst living day by day on sweats and sometimes tears. Face the reality on the ground fella, the time for investigative move is not now, we’re on the verge of an election, one man one vote system, let’s concentrate on that first and other things later, one day at a time fella.
Look you heart is honest, that’s admirable, you just have to learn to be patient and focus your strength to the correct areas and at the right time.
Sa dri yani.
@Graham is a sellout
You are just one of those crews in the vessel named “PIQUE” registered under C4.5.
@ Graham,
My tone is far from peremptory and I think I am inviting debate on the subject. It is just your insistence to play the man and not the ball that precludes debate.
So let’s take the personal out of it and look at cold hard evidence for both ou our positions
But let’s look at the evidence
EVIDENCE FOR YOUR INDEPENDENCE
1- You say you are independent
2- You wrote an article in 2006 on a multiracial Fiji.
EVIDENCE YOU ARE A PAID PROPAGANDIST SELLOUT
1- You are paid by Qorvis
2- Every article you write matches Government Policy
3- You attack the dictators opponents
4- You write puff pieces on the dictator and his cronies
5- Your television interview with the dictator was just like the BBC interview programme SOFT TALK
Let’s look at your evidence,
1- Your word you are independent. Seems a bit biased to me and not really objective so let’s discount that.
2- Your 2006 article seems to be in support of a coup by Bainimarama. Fair enough you have been a supporter of the dictator for longer than he has been paying you.
Let’s look at my evidence
1- You are paid by Qorvis FACT
2- Every article matches Govt Policy FACT
3- You Attack Dictator’s Opponents FACT
4- Puff Pieces for Cronies FACT
5- SOFT TALK interview FACT
The three assessors have looked at the evidence and decided unanimously Graham is a paid propagandist.
WAIT WAIT, Ruling from Justice Goundar. He has received instructions from the AG to overrule the assessors and to rule that the Attorney General Says that Graham Davis is totally independent on Government.
I rest my case, Your Honour. A 24 carat bore.
@Katie and Moto Bitu
I have an even better idea. Instead of relying on aid from China, Australia or New Zealand why don’t we build our own roads?
Why don’t we take out a $70m dollar commercial loan? Even at 6% it will be cheaper than a $200m loan at 2%.
Why don’t we employ Fijians to build the roads?
Why don’t we use Fijian companies to supply the materials?
Why don’t we invest in the equipment so they can be used on many jobs?
We still get the road but we get these other benefits to.
Most of the $7 m stays in Fiji. It has a multiplier effect on the economy and will generate more money and jobs
We will not have a loan in a foreign currency
We have reduced our dependence on other countries
What makes you think Fiji is paying back the loan? You might just be suprised!
@ Graham is a sell out,
Your proposition is great, Its very realistic and will no doubt be helpful to the common man worker, although the bigger long term plans still eludes you fella. You’re missing one of the great points of the Chineese loans, which is rooms to manouver diplomatically in our foreign policies negotiations especially against the two bullies Aus/NZ.
At these moment in time we need to show Aus/NZ that whatever they throw at us we will be resilient and we will handle it. As good as your plan is we just need to think about the wider picture, tourism, sugar, gold, ginger, sugar, military peacekeepings, private security, copra, tuna, fiji water, garments etc etc.
The foundation needs to be build on freedom from Aus/NZ, and when we achieve that we then would have become admirable to the rest of the pacific nations, therefore we would be able to lead and help rearrange matters of economical importance in the region.
One thing I hope our current government can capitalise on is Aus/NZ weaknesses whom in their strife to maintain their control with different offences they’ve let slipped on a few loop holes in their foreign policies which can be maximised to great effect when used against them in the matters of foreign policies.
Anyway great debate, I’m loving it. Taki Sinai rau…drau Kate drau bare…
Sa dri yani.
@Graham is a sell out ! Wonder if you apply the same argument you use with Graham for those who support the SDL like Fiji Post use to! Reputation who gives a damn about reputations these days! “Children over board”, “Weapons of mass destruction”, “Abhu gharaib” did anyone worry about their reputations with those con jobs were doe on the population. Rupert Murdoch manipulates the social media from end of the world to the next supporting Govts who support him and his business! So if Graham gets paid by the Fiji Govt, big deal! do i give a shit! I can make judgements for myself on what Graham writes-i ain’t no dope no am i a hack, i am for real!
@ Graham is a sell out …
Geeze GIASO!? Can you show me a road that was built by locals that has lasted more than 12 month before it reverted back to its original potholes?
… and can you show me any road in Fiji that has been ‘maintained’ by locals that does not lose its patches as soon as it rains again?
And as for you and your sidekick Mr Edge … from where I sit (and my mataqali have been in Fiji since 1872) Fiji is much better off under the leadership of Mr Bainimarama than it ever was under Mr Qarase and even better than Mr Mara (and my grandma chaperoned the young Mr Mara on his way to university in England, which, under the British rule, was once the norm for any up-and-coming Fijian Chief).
The pair of you remind me of a couple of prepubescent school kids squabbling over who has the better marbles.
Please act your age and your self proclaimed intelligence and contribute to building something meaningful for our fantastic country.
@ Graham is a sell out,,
Yeah right punk. We build the roads! Use Fijian companies to supply the materials!
Where have you been for the past few decades? Who do you think have been buiding our roads?
Just look at the state of the roads. 40-50 million dollars allocated every year only in the Central/Eastern division for the maintenence of our roads. That’s a huge amount of dough, pal.
There are too many immature decision-makers and big time thieves who are currently running the show at the Roads Department. Top brass engineers, along with their road supervisors, foremans and leading hands have been doing road works for donkeys of years.
The taxpayers of this country have been short-changed for far too long. For far too long the citizens of this nation have been deprived of good roads. Now that this government has taken the bold step of rectifying this niggling problem, we have idiots like you having cheap shots at the government.
I have said it before and I will say it again you piglet. You sound too much like Mikky.
I read both C4.5 and Grubsheet, and rarely contribute to the discussions. Frankly, I have been amazed recently at how quickly the discussions descends to gratuitous personal attacks that add no value to the discussion…and these attacks come from all sides of the debate….Dr Edge, Graham (the blogger), Moto Bitu and now Graham is a sellout, in particular.
I think we are best served in just accepting that this blog is pro govt, and C4.5 is the opposite, and that both blogs claim to be “pro democracy”…and confine our comments to the subject matter of the posts on either blog.
As to the subject of the most recent post – it is truly alarming on several counts:
[1] I think that the vice premiers comments will harden the embryonic faultlines in the geo politics of the Pacific. I fear that the Forum’s days are numbered and that the regional fora will split irreparably into the MSG and the PIF – Melanesia v Polynesia.
[2] NZ and Aust will have to rethink their strategy. The US will play a more visible role. Wellington and Canberra will take their cues from Washington as this all unfolds. Why Washington did not push more firmly for Fiji’s re-inclusion at the PIF Cook Islands meeting is a mystery – but I think as far as the Bainimarama Govt was concerned, that was the “final straw”. I dont think that we will ever warm to the Forum again under a Govt led by the Commodore or in which the current Minister for Foreign Affairs and AG has any influence. This triumverate will decide the future foreign policy of Fiji.
[3] The “splitting” of the Pacific also throws up some interesting scenarios. Here is my take on what will happen: – before now the sleeping giant in the Pacific is PNG. Its sleeping no longer. It is the only “Tiger” economy in the Pacific – 8% GDP growth annually, a GDP per capita that is set to double in the next 2 years, a young growing population and mineral wealth that is the envy of all of the Pacific countries.
PNG is an increasingly influential member of the PIF and is already a hugely influential member of the MSG . The Director of the MSG secretariat in Port Vila is an experienced Papua New Guinean. PNG has much to offer and it will.
Despite the poor image it has with respect to its internal security, it is the regions largest democracy, and after the most recent elections, Prime Minister Oniell has an overwhelming Parliamentary majority, and a crop of bright young Ministers (ironically many of them educated in Fiji), who are determined that this is PNG’s time in the region.
In 2015 they will host the South Pacific Games and with their new found wealth, it will be to them what the Olympic Games was to Beijing – their “coming out” party.
Chinese, US and Australian interests are extensive in PNG. So the PNG Govt has access to Beijing, Washington and Canberra.
My take is that whether we in Fiji align ourselves with China or our traditional allies, our exclusion from the forum and our isolation has meant that we no longer can lay claim to regional leadership as we once did. This mantle is passing to PNG…our foreign policy needs to reflect this new reality.
@ Te Wailoa Interesting analysis.
Yes PNG is blessed with the natural resources and its large population, does give it the monicker of being the largest democracy in the Pacific. However, that’s where your premise end. PNG does seem to be water carrier for Australia in many ways and on many different levels. The use of PNG territory to house refugees to Australia that may be indefinitely detained, is a clear example of this kowtowing to the policies of Australia.
This does not display independent foreign policy, but an unhealthy co-dependence.
I regret to say, ever since Somare was removed from office, this has risen exponentially.
I would beg to differ on your definition on your definition of leadership in that particular context.
Leading also means being at the forefront- being a pioneer in a sense. Fiji may fit that terminology by trail blazing a new direction of foreign policy that tilts the geostrategic balance in the Western Pacific and provides an opening to a counter balance to the Western imperialism that has been demonstrated clearly in the illegitimate wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya.
Yes, but Fiji’s ‘trail blazing a new direction in foreign policy’ was a policy in default in the sense that it was in response to international (including regional) response to the 2006 coup.
As long as Fiji is led by a military dictatorship, albeit a progressive one, it cannot claim to be a regional leader. Leaders are role models. In the current circumstances Fiji is not.
And thats why we need to have elections to give legitimacy to Fiji’s claims of regional leadership.
@ Marc Edge
For the head or a school in journalism your “revelation” about Graham has to be one of the worst pieces of journalism I have even read. It is simply a cut and paste job of comments from another blog. The only “fact” you include is that Graham works part time for Qorvis, which he has openly disclosed on his blog, not kept secret.
You on the other hand say that you ignored the questions on whether you were paid anything for the ad in the Times. For someone in your position questions such as these are valid to ask once you put yourself in the position by appearing in the story. You should have answered immediately to maintain the reputation of USP and the delay suggests you had something to hide.
Edge Marc
Soon you will given persona non grata.
Edge marc
Soon you will be given persona non grata
Tevita Wailoa interesting indeed! The very action of moving ‘business’ and seeking assistance from China threatens the Western powers especially NZ & Australia .But this was done by Fiji as a necessity for survival it never was grasped by these two Pacific neighbours that Fiji out of all their Pacific neighbours was and still is a power base, ie education, positional & leadership, traditional ties etc, etc! Their continued use of the smaller Pacific countries to ‘bad mouth’ Fiji on democracy proved beyond doubt that they didn’t for a minute understand the real situations exisiting in Fiji nor were they understanding of the dilemma faced by the Bainimarama. The point where Fiji is now in was also brought about by the continued actions of the Forum countries who supported Australias push for Fijis exclusion. As if that was not enough Aussie and NZ also had to do as much as they could to hurt the Bainimarama leadership-ie stop the travels of the Permanent Secretaries and Ministers etc. For those actions their famous line” we not hurting the people of Fiji just the administration”-Really? Or in simple terms make ‘doing business in or with Fiji as difficult as you can” This drove Fiji further away from the Forum cause it began to see that both the Western Powers in the Pacific were now saying one thing and doing something else on the world stage ie Australia supporting those who got rid of an elected Govt in Bangladesh and banging up the aid money to them! As if the South Pacific Forum was not big enough the Commonwealth also came into the picture-no problems but to make matters come to a real head was when the European countries were now getting involved with the Aussies leading the charge to further isolate Fiji, and we all know what happened after that the UN came into the picture especially with the Aussies insisting on the getting rid of the Fijian soldiers from peace operations around the world! Why wasn’t this done to Pakistan when they had a military coup? Was this an act of neighbourly love to a country who is only hours away from your shores? Did the people of Fiji need to treated in such a way? Do you really need to send an aircraft carrier to collect you Aussie citizens working in the High Commission in Suva? The simple truth is no one not NZ not Australia or Britain understood where Bainimarama was coming from-yes maybe he made his agendas on the move but that’s how people have to live to survive! Their biggest problem was a very simple Fijian word ‘vei beci” they simply under estimated Bainimarama! Could they have handle this differently-YES! Problem was they had never learnt from the first coup of Rabuka, the analysis was simple-“elected Govt kicked out our role to sort it out by any means what so ever? Democracy was the rallying cry! The military intervention was on the tables believe me until someone reminded the politicians in Canberra “these mob could make Afghanistan look like a walk in the park for us if we not careful’! And who was to know what the population at large will do if the Aussies take over? Fiji may not look a no 1 Act right now in the South Pacific countries but we sure as hell have made our stand against a neighbour who all this time has treated the citizens of Fiji as a bunch of “louts” when it came for a visa applications-tourist or otherwise! Forget about a working visa but no job person from Europe who doesn’t have a job back in their home can come into Australia and be a backpacker and picking fruits for upwards to 12 months to make money to survive on! Us Fijians we have to show them a bank statement before you can even think of getting a look in? Truth is Fiji is no longer looking to Australia as the Central point of its survival hopefully this is not infectious. Yes you may want to give us aid no problem we will take but we will dictate to you what’s to be done! P&G become the centre piece of the South Pacific countries -i don’t think so-even East Timor has started sending students to Fiji why? We are still more peaceful than P&G, we have long established Institutions in Teaching, Health, medicine, nursing , agriculture, fisheries, tourism etc but best of all our people have a smile on their face even during hard times-that’s blessing! Dri Yani
I dont have an issue with anything that you have said. I think that when history is written of this era in Pacific affairs, it will catalogue the current A/NZ policy toward Fiji as an abject failure and the key reason for the breaking up of the unity of the Pacific, and opening the door to China. I agree with you that it was a simple case of “vei-beci” on the part of A/NZ. As a Fijian I am proud that we have stood our ground and basically given them the “two fingered salute”.
The fact of the matter is that the other non MSG countries in the Pacific are too reliant on the largesse of A/NZ. The good thing about the past six years of “isolation” has been that it has forced us to look elsewhere, to the point where A/NZ now dont actually matter that much to us.
My point though is that we must forge closer ties to other MSG countries, Asia and the Middle East. In observing Fiji’s current foreign policy – we are doing exactly that. So big “ups” to the Govt for that.
The comments by the Chinese VP will no doubt put A/NZ/US on notice that the days of them throwing their weight around in the Pacific and going unchallenged are over.
We need to work with PNG because although PNG has much closer ties to Aust (than we do), I think they (PNG) would like nothing more than to be put in a position to engage in that relationship (PNG/Aust) on more even terms and not as one of Australia’s former colonies.
Over and above the sharing of resources, capital and trade, we have much to offer one another in terms of Pacific geopolitical leverage.
dont worry folks samoa is the new regional leader, in fact its not just NZ or Australia efforts that keeping Fiji out of the forum but Samoa’s Tuilaepa has been a strong backer of keeping Fiji out of the Forum until it hold elections.
Sure go for it-samoa, might ask your cousins across the boarder to join that ay you increase the numbers. After all if it wasn’t for NZ your mob will be just having biscuit and coconuts.
The Forum is irrelevant to Fiji at this time.
Fiji cant have the ‘palagis’ throw money at us in the way the way they do to poorer and LDC countries like Samoa so that they can kowtow.
Yet these guys claim to be Poly’s.
There are more Polys in Fiji than they are in Niuie, Cook Islands, Tokelau, Waliis etc combined!
@Jukebox and Bera Na Liva
We have had 6 years of the Bainimarama Dictatorship. We have had a cleanup campaign to remove all corruption. We have had efficiencies drives in the public sector. We even have the murderer Frances Keene running the PWD. And you say we still can’t build a road or fix a pot hole.
Surely you must be talking about another country. A country that has not benefitted from the enlightened leadership of Bainimarama over 6 years because surely such a country has become a worker’s paradise of amazing efficiency.
If you did mean Fiji when you said this “There are too many immature decision-makers and big time thieves who are currently running the show at the Roads Department.” You can expect a meeting between your face and Frances Keene’s boot
Surely if the dictator was doing the great things in Fiji you talk about the PWD would be corruption free. The PWD could build decent roads.
In your book it probably is corruption free because anyone from the Bainimarama clan with his sticky finger in the till is not corruption but a just payment for them cleaning up Fiji.
Get Real!
PWD as a major froad builder? Since when? You must be joking.
They are essentially the maintenance arm of government. Last time I checked they were painting and fixing the plumbing in government quarters in the Domain.
Building highways is a specialised engineering job best handled by private contractors with the necessary resources. Thats how its done in other countries.
Building the Deketi highway is way beyond the capability of the PWD. Sure they can fill potholes with hot bitumen and build Irish crossing and sidewalks etc, but to take on a major highway project is beyind them.
Get a dose of reality.
Moto Bitu
I have no problem with Graham working for Qorvis. I do have a problem with Graham claiming to be independent at the same time. That is just being downright hypocritical. So I will stop pointing out this hypocrisy when Graham admits it and puts a warning of bias on all future articles both here and in the Fiji Sun.
I also agree that all Governments manipulate the media. The difference being most of them operate with media freedom so their manipulations get exposed and their claims get debunked. It might not be immediate but it does happen.
I also believe that a dictator is not going to give us a pure democracy we all want. He will give us a “democracy” with Bainimarama and Khaiyum at its head.
So every day we have them in power is another where more ordinary Fijians drop below the poverty line.
It is a Fiji where the most educated do their best to emigrate.
It is a Fiji where the local business men have stopped investing.
It is a Fiji where the courts continue to do the Aiyarse’s bidding.
It is a Fiji where the media cannot report the news they wish.
It is a Fiji where the ordinary citizens are not allowed to express themselves. I direct your attention to Father Barr’s march being stopped at the last minute.
It is also a Fiji which overwhelmingly does not want to grant Bainimarama and co immunity. What does that say about his support?
Open your eyes and stop supporting a dictator just because he is in power. Do the right thing not just for yourself but for all of Fiji.
@Graham is a sell out-no problems with your conclusions. Problem lies in the fact that we here today because of our own stupidity of letting coups happen and not having the courage of stopping them when we should have . We all seem to want democracy , freedom of the press etc , etc but when we did have we abused it also to the max. Now we cry foul-sorry we can’t have it both ways! Maybe Bainimarama is the beginning point for those of us who aspire to have democracy to understand that we would never like to see coups again-so speak up and do whats to be done then not groan about how bad things later. Kinda to damn late when the ‘sicini ni dakia’ has left the gun! Democracy yes but me thinks we kind too late for that to so maybe we need to try Communism maybe that could work! Now if that bites the “belo in the voco” so be it, If you want to dance with the devil then don’t get suprised that Ratu Tevoro has fingered you for free! Thats whats happened in Fiji for too damn long! Now we kinda suprised with whats going on? Really? Bale vei cei, bale vei ei??
@Graham
“I rest my case, Your Honour. A 24 carat bore.”
Oh Dear.
You don’t have a leg to stand on in terms of the debate so you resort to personal abuse.
Come on I would expect more from an award winning journalist.
Give us an example of another independent award winning journalist who works from an office supplied by a dictator.
You should clarify for your readers how long you worked from the AG’s office whilst you were in Fiji before you got the Qorvis contract. And now you have the contract which Regime office is your current base.
I don’t have an obligation to clarify anything to anyone. To coin a famous Americanism, my affairs are none of your Goddam business. Even a Canadian should get that.
@ Varanitabua,,,,,,,,
Tau, you summed it perfectly pal. Aust/NZ can smell each others asses now.
Bula Jukebox-na boi dada qori ra tai!
Mr Davis, I do hope you will ignore those who seem to have moved here from Coup 4.5 to attack you. Please continue to write for the Fiji Sun.
They are the most informative items being published in Fiji’s newspapers today and I am see with my own eyes people reading them closely and discussing what is in them whenever they are printed by the Fiji Sun.
I suggest this is really the answer to all the questions being raised here.
The ability of Oz and NZ to act astrategically in the region is baffling. Yet Fiji probably still has an inner yearning to retain close political friendships.
Going by their ongoing reactions and stance toward Fiji one could be pardoned for believing that Fiji’s challenges have been attacks directed at them.
As the south pacific’s ‘big two,’ their inability to stop looking down on small island states is unfortunate. This is compounded by the many voices from within and without voicing their support and or oppostion toward the present Fiji government.
One wonders what their regional interests are if their ongoing position encourages Fiji to look elsewhere for support.
Graham, who elected this chap Wu Bangguo – the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People”s Congress? Did he ask permission from the citizens of China to make this loan – NO – because like Fiji, China is run by a cabal of self-appointed party apparatchiks – so stop making it out as if its a big deal – the Chinese are clever – they will loan as much as possible and whichever government comes to power they will keep threatening for payment – look how they are hosting Felix and Urai now – hedging their bets on different actors in Fiji.
Wu gained a seat on the Politburo of the Communist Party of China, China’s ruling council, in 1992. He was subsequently elevated to Vice-Premier of the State Council in 1995 under Premier Li Peng, where he served in a portfolio dealing with industry and reforming state-owned enterprises, ranking third. He continued as Vice-Premier under Zhu Rongji, and served in the role until the 2003 National People’s Congress.
At the 16th Party Congress in November 2002, Wu entered the highest power elite in the country, ranking second in the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China. Since 2003, he has served as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China, a position which is roughly equivalent to that of a Speaker of a legislative assembly. At the 11th National People’s Congress, he was re-elected as Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee on 15 March 2008.
In his capacity as NPCSC chair, Wu delivers an annual address each year at the National People’s Congress sessions in March. These speeches have always noted that China will not adopt multiparty democracy, separation of powers, or a federal system.
He should help you and Qorvis t write a Red Book for Fiji – on how Bainimarama should continue ruling Fiji – no elections, no democracy, no human rights etc
Australia and New Zealand should not give a toss about China in the Pacific – Fiji is merely playing up to the Chinese to keep afloat
@Chinese Trader -no one would argue your points. Fact is does anyone in the Western democracies really care who leads China be it Wu Bangguo or anyone in the Peoples liberation party? Simple fact is USA one of the largest democracy is heavily in debt to China-didn’t hear the USA Congress complain too much about getting those loans. European countries are in the same situation! So what the fuss of democracy-right now its a country that does not have en elected Govt China that is giving out loans to the elected Govts ie Democracies! The Chinese must be laughing all the way to the Bank especially if they decided to play little hard to get with their economy ie slow it down a bit by a small % point-just to make our so called democracies ‘sweat’ a bit! Your claim “Australia and New Zealand should not give a toss about China in the Pacific” – Fiji is merely playing up to the Chinese to keep afloat! Theres more than meets the eye-USA is now planning to base their unmanned spy planes from Guam and the Aussies are now seriously considering big bro USA’s move by also doing the same in Australia. Why? China is not only powerful right now economically but also military? That’s something to ponder! The Chinese once travelled the whole world and came back to tell the Emperor what they had found-yes people still backyard and still living in caves. So they just shut shop and developed from within-scientifically, medically, militarially etc its the same process happening again except this has another twist-no one really knows what China has developed in form of weapons and that’s scary! So quite worrying about democracy too much we might just learn something from the Chinese!
Chinese trader
Thank you for the history lesson, no one gives a damn
Varantabua, Pate
Thanks. As a Hong Kong Chinaman in Fiji, I have no respect for Wu Bangban – he has always held hostile views on Hong Kong – like you said about Fiji, no one gives a damn what the Chinese are doing – as long as it continues to loan to all and sundry nations, including United States. An Indo-Fijian friend of mine rightly told me that after the 1987 Rabuka coups, Aussies and Kiwis and US all refused to recognize Fiji but when they realized Rabuka was there to stay, they changed their policy – saying we recognize states and not governments – but the only good thing these countries did was to open their doors to Indo-Fijian migration, indirectly helping Rabuka’s racist remarks that we want to make their lives so unbearable that Indo-Fijians will leave Fiji – today, my friend says Indo-Fijians are a minority – but on the other hand is happy that those who left Fiji after the 1987 and 2000 coups, including his own family members, are proud and secure that the homes they have in Australia and New Zealand can be called THEIRS – no worry about land leases etc – Thank you Aussies and Kiwis – he says – but sadly, my Indo-Fijian friend does got give a toss about Maoris and Aborigines – he thinks like native Fijians, they deserve what they are getting. Off for my chopsuey and rot in new Fiji – thanks to Chinese loan – I am still in Fiji, but for how long?
@Chinese traer or Chinese trader-first you need to remember you name 2ndly you just telling us somehting we alread know!
@ Chinese Trader…
If you are a Hong Kong Chinaman in Fiji, then what the hell are you doing here, you archaic moronic swine. Go back to your country and let Wu Bangguon deal with you.
If you feel so insecure in Fiji, get the frigging out of here and go and eat loys of chop suey in Hong Kong. Your claims about the indo- Fijians is nothing but borders on incitement of racial hatred. This government is well geared in its path of racial tolerance, acceptance and patriotism.
And here we have clowns like you, with your stupid utterances, be it intentional or not, can have some very detrimental consequences.
Please Graham, delete this last thread of this filthy Chinese Trader from this forum. It smacks of hard core racism and doesn’t do any justice to this august site.
Juxebox
I think you are overreacting. I have every right to complain about mainland China. I am not insulting anybody – I am telling what my Indo-Fijian told me – how grateful he is for Australia and New Zealand letting in Indo-Fijians, of course a great loss to Fiji – lets hope all those who left will come back permanently to Fiji – and I can leave for Hong Kong
17 March 2012 Last updated at 11:51
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Ordos: The biggest ghost town in China
By Peter Day Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China
Empty apartment blocks, Ordos, Inner Mongolia
Continue reading the main story
In today’s Magazine
They’re still watching
An Ethiopian hero of the Korean war
180km traffic jams
Drawing a line
In Inner Mongolia a new city stands largely empty. This city, Ordos, suggests that the great Chinese building boom, which did so much to fuel the country’s astonishing economic growth, is over. Is a bubble about to burst?
A huge statue of the mighty warrior Genghis Khan presides over Genghis Khan Plaza in Ordos New Town. The square is vast, fading into the snowy mist on a recent Sunday morning.
Genghis Khan Plaza is flanked by huge and imposing buildings.
Two giant horses from the steppes rise on their hind legs in the centre of the Plaza, statues which dwarf the great Khan himself.
Only one element is missing from this vast ensemble – people.
There are only two or three of us in this immense townscape. Because this is Ordos, a place that has been called the largest ghost town in China.
Most of the new town buildings are empty or unfinished. The rampant apartment blocks are full of unsold flats.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
It is a spectacular example of a new Chinese phenomenon, in many cities – unsold flats, unlet shops, empty office blocks”
If you want to find a place where China’s huge housing bubble has already burst, then Ordos is the place to come.
The story started about 20 years ago, with the beginning of a great Mongolian coal rush.
Private mining companies poured into the green Inner Mongolian steppe lands, pock-marking the landscape with enormous opencast holes in the ground, or tunnelling underground.
Local farmers sold their land to the miners, and became instantly rich. Jobs burgeoned. Ceaseless coal truck convoys tore up the roads.
And the old city of Ordos flourished as the money flowed in.
The municipality decided to think big, too.
It laid out plans for a huge new town for hundreds of thousands of residents, with Genghis Khan Plaza at the centre of it.
Continue reading the main story
From Our Own Correspondent
Genghis Khan plaza
Broadcast on Saturdays at 11:30 GMT on BBC Radio 4, and weekdays on BBC World Service
Listen to the BBC Radio 4 version
Download the podcast
Listen to the BBC World Service version
Explore the archive
Ten years later Ordos new town is an empty new city.
And it is merely the most spectacular example of a new Chinese phenomenon, in many cities – unsold flats, unlet shops, empty office blocks.
It looks to outsiders as though the great Chinese building boom is over, the real estate extravaganza that shook the world.
Western financial experts who fear a bursting of the Chinese real estate bubble point out that the Chinese economy is more dependent on house building than the United States economy was, before the sub-prime lending bubble burst in 2007.
Many Chinese local authorities seem to have become dependent on the proceeds of big land sales to developers.
In the eyes of the critics, China’s housing boom is becoming a disaster.
Well, the authorities in Beijing have taken notice of the direst warnings. They have been taking official action to rein in the speculative buying of multiple apartments over the past two years.
Chinese economic commentators seem much less concerned than the Western doom-mongers. They are still confident that the technocrats in Beijing who have guided China’s 30 years of spectacular economic growth will soon be able to balance supply and demand in the housing market.
Ordos Many ordinary people who invested in property, have lost money
The same relaxed attitude was apparent in a couple I met in a spacious apartment in Ordos, in the middle of a building site.
They were buying the place as an investment, even though the delivery date keeps on slipping.
It is, of course, only some 25 years since Chinese people were permitted to buy and sell homes at all.
Decades of pent-up demand are still being satisfied as the great wheel of Chinese urbanisation continues to bring millions of people in from the countryside to work in the cities.
Right now there are other worries in the Chinese system, typified by Mr Li, a man I met in Ordos, who had prospered when the local council bought up the land on which his family’s shop had been located.
He invested the compensation with local private financiers.
It is common practice in China where there is a big grey market in private loans to private businesses who cannot get money from the big, official, state-owned banks.
Mr Li’s private financier naturally invested the money in property, and paid him interest every three months at the rate of about 40% a year.
Mr Li had put the equivalent of over $1m (just over £600,000) into such schemes.
For two years they paid out, but last year the interest payments began to dry up.
Then one of the financiers disappeared.
This has become a very familiar story in China now, one that is making big headlines as some famously rich private finance people come up for trial on charge of huge financial irregularity. China’s 68th richest woman, Wu Ying, is facing the death penalty for schemes she ran in her 20s.
At least half of Mr Li’s money now seems to have disappeared.
As a Mongolian, he told me he was very angry when it happened last year. But now his mood has changed to a curious, fatalistic resignation, quite unlike Genghis Khan.
“Once we were rich, and now we’re poor again,” said Mr Li, with something like a wry grin.
@Chinese Trader OLD NEWS! You must have just found out we knew about that 12 months ago about vacant building, cities, nothing new happens all the time in China , Russis even the USA knows about it including its Allies! So tell us something we don’t know? Stale news.
@ Chinese Trader,
Come on mate, the way I lead it, you arle in Fiji….why fear…give your leal name and how long will you hide and lun….flankly…or arle you leal Chinese???? flom Hong Kong. Want me to do a head count of Hong Kong Chinese in Fiji…??????so cut your bullshit about Fiji Indian fliend and the nonsence.
Evely countly has a boom, bubble and bust so wtf arle you talking……cleating ploblems for your host countly????
Fiji Indians will speak for themselves and I for one have contributed and will continue to do a lot more business and more service work for all people…..give my expertise free… to help young villagers with micro ventures to make money for themselves and their villagers……just employing people and making money is not good enough if they cannot be empowered to think business……
What did you do to help…….bugger the boom, bust and the nonsence…that cycle will continue whether you like it or not…
Simply fly lice is not enough……hey I trade with China as well so if you leave!!!! ….don’t care.
@ Chand…..
Good one blo. The Chinese Tlader hasn’t had his chicken fly lice today. In Ordos one seve of chicken fly lice cost you loughly fye dollar fity fye cents.
In fiji the same thing can cost seven dollars. But he chose to come to live in Fiji.
And…. I trade with the chinese as well but this Chinese Trader is not a Chinese. thats for sure.
@ Chinese Trader,
That was no over-reaction, you little bratt.
You left a place like Ordos and came to live in Fiji. Now you trying to run down the very country that is puting chop suey in your venomonous mouth.
I say,,,,, just what the hell is your problem, you Hong Kong Chinaman?
Just go back to your rat hole and leave us.
@Graham
It is clear you don’t like being subjected to scrutiny. Another trait you share with your dictator friend.
You say “I don’t have an obligation to clarify anything to anyone. To coin a famous Americanism, my affairs are none of your Goddam business. Even a Canadian should get that.”
Which is in sharp contrast to the way you approach your victims. And by the way I am not Canadian but a Fijian by birth and of mixed race.
In one of your earlier articles about Dr Edge you wrote the following very flowery paragraphs.
“Journalist educators have much in common with Caesar’s wife. They not only have to be above reproach but be seen to be above reproach. Anything less and these pillars of journalistic propriety can crumble in an instant, exposed in the eyes of their students and the wider community as emperors with no clothes. They need to live up to the high standards they preach themselves about journalistic ethics lest they be accused of pharisaic hypocrisy.
Rule Number One: Thou shalt declare any benefit – financial or otherwise –received for services rendered to a commercial entity and especially using the name of a publicly-funded institution that employs you. Rule Number Two : Thou shalt avoid any conflict of interest, or appearance thereof, in the conduct of one’s duties on behalf of a publicly funded institution that employs you.
Pretty straightforward, you’d think. Which is why Dr Marc Edge, the head of journalism at the University of the South Pacific, needs to explain an article in the Fiji Times earlier this year in which he spruiked the benefits of a Suva apartment complex in which he lives.”
To Paraphrase your words.
“Award Winning Journalists have much in common with Caesar’s wife. They not only have to be above reproach but be seen to be above reproach. Anything less and these pillars of journalistic propriety can crumble in an instant, exposed in the eyes of their readers and the wider community as emperors with no clothes. They need to live up to the high standards they preach themselves about journalistic ethics lest they be accused of pharisaic hypocrisy.
Rule Number One: Thou shalt declare any benefit – financial or otherwise –received for services rendered to a commercial entity and especially using the name of a publicly-funded institution that employs you. Rule Number Two : Thou shalt avoid any conflict of interest, or appearance thereof, in the conduct of one’s duties on behalf of a publicly funded institution that employs you.
Pretty straightforward, you’d think. Which is why Graham Davis, the leading of journalist of the South Pacific (at least in his own head), needs to explain how he can possibly be independent about the Bainimarama dictatorship when he is not only paid by them but sits in one of their offices.”
You don’t owe anyone an explanation but if you want to restore some measure of credibility in Fiji you need to explain how you still have the temerity to claim you are independent when clearly you are heavily involved in the regime’s media relations activities.
Stop being a hypocrite and just admit what you write here is in line with the Dictator’s communication strategy; a strategy which you helped to create with your colleagues at Qorvis and Sharon.
Who gives a shit! Before Graham came onto the scene in Fiji we had journalist writing everything the Qarase Govt was throwing at them and they spewed it out by the bucket load to us. All the rules you now declare was also thrown into the dung heap by those journalist! So today we have Graham writing his opinions. I came to this site and the least I got was my artices getting published on C4.5 you couldn’t say a thing wrong about Qarase! Even now we don’t get a look in with our comments. Graham doesn’t have to answer to anyone or anything -you can bark as much as you like won’t make any difference! Canadian, mixed race or quarter race doesn’t concern me you just need to move after while things can just get borinnnnnnnnn! I am surpised Graham still allows you rubbish to continue.
@ Chinese Trader. It is interesting to hear the views of someone from within that ancient and vast nation – China. But then Hong Kong is still getting used to coming back under the heel of mainland China. Perhaps it never will adjust. I do recall the undercertainty in HK just prior to the handover. If anything HK Chinese weren’t comfortable at all. The fact is however China is a major power reaching out into the Pacific and Oz and NZ do need to “give a toss”. The US appears to be aware or what’s up and so they too have been doing the rounds – Clinton and recently Panetta. Fiji is having to sought out its own issues and at the same time position itself strategically in the greater Asia Pacific region and beyond. In the latter it appears to be doing well.