There really is no hope for Fiji when the Coalition government deceives the people and a compliant media goes along with that deception. But that is precisely what has happened with the response to the sensational revelations that Suva businessman Zhao Fugang has admitted to being an agent for the Chinese Communist Party and the allegations that he is a major figure in organised crime, including the drug trade that is destroying the social fabric in Fiji.
The Home Affairs Minister, Pio Tikoduadua, says the disclosures about Zhao Fugang in the Nine newspapers/60 Minutes reports over the past couple of days “aren’t new”. Rubbish. Most of what was reported is not on the public record in Fiji or anywhere else. To say that “it isn’t new” is a lie. And that lie is happily repeated by the Fiji Times and CFL-Fiji Village, who instead of saying “what do you mean it isn’t new? We haven’t been told any of this before” simply go along with the Minister’s false account so that it becomes the prevailing narrative.
To its utter shame, the national broadcaster, FBC, hasn’t touched the story at all. A bastardised version is on the front page of today’s Fiji Times and is lead story on CFL-Fiji Village but on “your FBC” – the network you pay for – nudder. Not a word. The Fiji Sun has also reverted to type by ignoring the detail of the Nine stories altogether and carrying a statement on Page 2 today from the Chinese Embassy in Suva distancing itself from Zhao Fugang. So the Fiji Sun falls into line with the Chinese Embassy, from which it has received both money and training for its journalists in China.
And there you have it, Fiji – a Minister for Home Affairs who is totally dismissive of sensational allegations that at least warrant formal expressions of concern and a public assurance of a proper inquiry and a lapdog media that simply parrots the lie that the story isn’t new in a collective attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the Fijian people by telling them that there is “nothing to see here”.
That lie is reinforced by the Fiji Times when it quotes Zhao Fugang’s lawyer as having said that Nine did not put its allegations to his client. 60 Minutes shows the owner of the Yue Lai restaurant saying “yes” when reporter Nick McKenzie asks him on camera whether he works for the Chinese Communist Party. And when McKenzie asks him whether he is involved in the drug trade, Zhao Fugang pushes the camera away and tries to shut down the encounter. The Fiji Times can see all of this. It is fact. Yet it doesn’t challenge Zhao Fugang’s lawyer when he peddles a blatant falsehood.
But here’s the real zinger, Fiji. Even if we accept Pio Tikoduadua’s story that it is “not new” because Fiji’s Financial Intelligence Unit has known about the allegations against Zhao Fugang for several years, what the hell has been done about it? What have you done personally, Minister, to initiate action to verify the truth of the allegations and bring Zhao Fugang to justice? Yep, sweet FA. Because otherwise you would have said so.
These allegations are not hearsay or media “claims”. There was detailed reference in the stories to information from Australian intelligence sources with whom Nick McKenzie is known to have extensive contacts plus first hand interviews with former intelligence officers and academics with intimate knowledge of what is happening in the region. Nick McKenzie is Australia’s most awarded journalist – with a staggering 14 Walkley Awards ( Australia’s highest media honour) who has four times been named “journalist of the year”. To say that what he has detailed “isn’t new” beggars belief. Just as it is to dismiss the efforts of Australian intelligence with the surveillance capability to know what Zhao Fugang had for breakfast.
So why is the Fijian government playing down the whole Zhao Fugang story and especially turning a blind eye to the allegations of drug trafficking against him when it is by far the biggest current threat to national security? 1/ Ask Pio. 2/ Take a look at the body language of the Prime Minister as he meets a Chinese delegation – led by the Chinese ambassador – and announces Chinese assistance for a road building program in Vanua Levu.
Sitiveni Rabuka is on the Chinese drip. The whole nation is on the Chinese drip. And what’s a little fuss about a Chinese agent and alleged drug mastermind in the overall scheme of things. It’s “nothing new”, Fiji. Just get over it. And be thankful to our great friends in the Chinese Communist Party. God help us.
POSTSCRIPT: The Fiji Times also carries an extract from the report Grubsheet published yesterday on Zhao Fugang by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. But it is highly selective and avoids the main points of the OCCRP report.
Rather than allowing its readers to see the whole thing, the Fiji Times decides what it thinks they should see. Did the OCCRP train Fiji Times journalists in selective reporting in their training sessions last year? Hardly. Proof that the new era of “media freedom” in Fiji is a sham.
Viewers in Fiji can now access the 60 Minutes story on its YouTube website. ( I cannot post a direct link because I can’t see it in Australia because of Nine Network restrictions ) But here’s a Sydney Morning Herald/Age interview with Nick McKenzie.
Can’t see what’s the fuss all about. Go to Samoa, from the airport to the capital, Apia all the major infrastructure was built by China, why hasn’t 60-Minutes gone there to report it?
There is a fundament difference between China aid and aid from the west. China can rebuild 80km of roads and bridges free-of-charge, the west including Australia won’t do it, they will charge us the cost not in our local currency but in a foreign currency so that we are forced to hunt around to find something to sell on the world market to earn the currency to pay off our foreign currency loans.
The bottom line is Fiji is a sovereign currency and we please ourselves who we do business with. As a small open economy we are friends to all, and enemy to none.
What is all the fuss about? The allegation is that as well as being a Chinese agent of influence in Fiji, Zhao Fugang is running a big drug operation into Australia through Fiji. You don’t think that’s worthy of a fuss?
So if it is an allegation and you have been affected, please report to the Fiji Police Force with details and evidence. Let them investigate and come back to you. Everyone is innocent until proven otherwise. The Police work when a report is made and the courts work on evidence. Not on your drama queen writings.
Examine the evidence, for God’s sake. And read my previous response. The whole nation is affected, you fool.
I have said before, everyone has a right to be stupid if they so wish. Proud Kaiviti has obvious made that choice and I fully defend that choice. In fact most of Fiji seems to have made that choice.
People are proud to receive handouts. It is such a traditional thing for the “lost tribe from Jerusalem.” Receive handout with such pride and bury your head in the sand that the whole country, including its “churen” are being screwed slowly. That is all ok because we do not need to repay or pay for the handouts. It is a very proud moment and it is really God’s gift to the lost tribe from Jerusalem. God knows best.
And then they wonder why the country is where it is.
You are a fool if you think they are going this out of the goodness of their heart and you are sovereign.
Look at places where culture and buildings have been decimated by China. Also look at where they have dredged and entire islands are now underwater. Why would you want to engage with the worst human rights and environmental abusers?
Spend some time in China and see how you like it. They have terrible accidents all the time due to bad infrastructure.
Friend to all, enemy to none usually means naive, easily manipulated & bought out because they have no integrity or strategy.
Proud Kaiviti you think your roads are free? Think again.
NOTHING is free.
Laughable is the fact that this current Government and its majority itaukei supporters harped so loud about the inconsistencies of the Fiji First Government, yet today, their Coalition Government follows along to the same CCP tune.
It’s simple to criticize from the sidelines until you’re in power only to realize that your party actually doesn’t have it all together to forge innovative, critical policies and alliances to do better than the last Government did. The coalition is in utter and dire shambles.
Deeply disturbing is Sitiveni Rabuka’s confirmation of severing chinese policing in Fiji only to reverse that decision and reinstates the same deal last month. What changed?
Fijians- Don’t cry a river when later down the line you have the Chinese acquiring more of that wasted, idle land via their local counterparts whilst you locals sit around your tanoa’s doped out of your feeble minds. Don’t fret as your country becomes infested with hard drugs and frequent serious crimes on a mass scale with a very weak police force to counter and protect you.
YOU GET WHAT YOU VOTE FOR
One day, when your last underpants are being hocked to pay the national debt, then you can cash in your sovereignty and escape Fiji.
Oh wait, you’d have already peddled that sovereignty when the stomach was empty and the kids were crying.
I just hope your teitei skills are on point for the inevitable Chinese farmer overlord waiting to take your qele. Reverse Girmit.
Where does the Kaindia come into this? Well it’s not Friday night as yet. And my Wikipedia Wife, after a brief visit to Fiji says that ” oh and I didn’t see Chinese people around”. Me: You’re always right my wiki darling, the i-taukeis don’t see them too.
All the biggest crooks from the Pacific islands -not only fm Fiji but mega crooks fm PNG — end up residents of Australia. I wonder if Australia could charter a QANTAS jet, round them all up and bring them home to stand trial? Australia can’t even charge a Fijian Minister for admitting smoking weed in a hotel room in Melbourne, why should we worry abt unproven allegations against a legitimate businessman in Fiji.?
The British taught us well: every man and his dog is innocent until proven guilty in a Court of law, judged by his peers.
The Minister for Home Affairs is correct. Anyone with evidence against Mr Zhao Fugang should report it to police. He has the right to the presumption of innocence until he goes through due process.
Seriously? The evidence is that he was in bed with the suspended Police Commissioner to the extent of being invited to security meetings. They made no effort to hide their relationship. Now Zhao is accused of drug running and Sitiveni Qiliho is about to be sentenced for abuse of office.
Do you seriously think that anyone will get anywhere reporting anything about Zhao Fugang to the Police? Nick McKenzie tells us that a day after his visited Zhao, the police were onto him on a complaint from the man himself. And if he IS an organised crime boss – as the allegations have it – people like him are very dangerous individuals indeed.
Why does anyone need to go to the police if what Pio Tikoduadua says is true – that Zhao Fugang’s activities have been known to the Financial Intelligence Unit for several years. That it “isn’t new’. Why hasn’t action already been taken? That is the most important question right now. And Pio Tikoduadua has done nothing to bolster public confidence that anything is or will be done.
You just have to watch the 60 Minutes story to realise that the Prime Minister and the Home Affairs Minister are totally out of their depth. Like two toddlers stranded in the headlights on the great China Belt and Road. Australian intelligence has issued a warning to Fiji with this story – get with it or be mowed down by the Chinese juggernaut. Any Fijian who can’t see that is a fool and deserves what is coming. Splat.
Bula Graham, can we conclude now that everyone is moving on from Lynda tabuyas sex and drugs scandal and that, that pest is getting off scot free still with her ministerial position? Are we conceding that nothing can be done for her removal? What a sad state of affairs for Fiji. And this Rabuka led coalition needs to go! I for one will not be voting for this shameless coalition at the next elections and I urge the people of Fiji to stand for what is right! If not for yourself then do it for your kids and the next generation. God bless Fiji!
Bula back and rest assured that I will not be “moving on” from the Lynda Tabuya sex and drug scandal. Believe it or not I am on holidays (except for the China story and Frank’s sentencing on Thursday) and it is only a temporary respite for the Minister for Bonking and Weed and the Snake who keeps her in power. And yes, it really is a sad state of affairs. But so is almost everything under this government, which promised to be better than its predecessor but has betrayed us all. We will have our revenge in due course.
So you are out for revenge. And who is “we”. You and your anti government or anti Fiji or anti Itaukei group of shameless cowards.
Neel, your problem is that you are not very bright. Sitting there in NZ with all your own prejudices and totally disconnected from reality. A living, breathing example of the utter pointlessness of higher education for people with closed eyes and closed minds.
If it is not new Pio then what have you been doing about it?
What has the intelligence services who BTW is not intelligent at all doing about it?
Do you all at the Coalition and past government think that Fijians don’t have the right to such information?
Fiji, time to start a few new political parties. Fiji First and this Coalition can be officially laid to rest. They need to go.
Interesting that the Fiji Govt is very religious and the Chinese Communist Party is atheist.
I’m not moving on.
Sack Lynda Tabuya.
The coalition government should be called the “caught pants down government”.
Its seems that now almost on a daily basis they are getting caught with their pants down. And what’s their response? Just lie with a straight face. Or neglect the elephant in the room and hope it goes away or gets replaced with another elephant.
Pio runs a Twitter or X page. He used it to good effect pre election, now he’s gotten grumpy and distasteful as have many others once in power.
Regarding China, I feel no one can survive without them. We need China as much as we need air or water. However that does not mean our governments past and present neglect the threat of drugs, security and Fiji become the crime hub of the Pacific just so that politicians can continue being in power and printing money for themselves.
It doesn’t even matter what the PM or Pio or Biman or Lynda think or say about anything anymore. These guys have no integrity no shame and no conscience. Most of all this government has no interest in serving the people but only serving themselves and their families and friends.
GD, Fiji is only learning from Australia. Yr govt leased the port of Darwin to a Chinese Company with direct links to the Chinese Communist Party; so its a case of the pot calling the kettle black when the Fiji Coalition Govt accepts a $300m offer to fix roads and bridges in Vanua Levu as well as resume a security deal with China.
China is Australia’s biggest trading partner. It took all the iron ore u could produce during the 2008 world financial crisis, saving you from a recession.
Australia is now attacking China. It’s called biting the hand that feeds you. We in the Pacific Islands also like to play that game. During Ratu Mara’s time when u were running bare feet around Suva they used to call it “playing the Russia card.” Nowadays it’s called, “playing the China card.”
Australia was the biggest supporter of the Fiji First Party and not so long ago. Britain even paid for Quliho’s attendance at staff college in Britain against the vociferous opposition of democracy campaigners in Fiji.
U talk about Fiji police, what about the NSW state Police? They used to run Kings Cross and still run the state of NSW.
I mean it is said NSW was set up by convicts and is still run by convicts.
So what’s the big deal? We love you and you love us, as seen by the many Australians who choose to holiday in Fiji.
Nothing will change.
Australia does not have a security deal with China. Nor does it allow someone who is a self-proclaimed agent of the Chinese Communist Party to allegedly operate a crime syndicate on an industrial scale peddling drugs into its neighbours.
So you are missing the point altogether. No-one is saying Fiji should not accept aid from China. But allowing China to subvert the rule of law in Fiji is an entirely different matter.
A few things and it seems that Grub Sheet is always trying to push its own narrative on all issues pertaining to the Coalition Government, and yes go ahead and call me a fool as you always call everyone who seems to disagree with you.
It is wrong for you to say that the people of Fiji are being deceived by their Government. Yes Rabuka and Tikoduadua contradict each other when Rabuka says the cooperation with China has been suspended but Tikoduadua says that it has been reinstated but are they really deceiving the people of Fiji? I think not, perhaps both the PM and Home Affairs do need to come out and clarify the issue but to say they are deceiving the people of Fiji is absolutely nonsense.
If you listened to one of the Australians being interviewed, he does clearly state as to why he thinks Fiji understandably reinstated the cooperation with China. Pio Tikodudua also says in the interview that what’s happening in the drug trade is “Bloody Scary” , therefore he is upfront and honest and not deceiving the people of Fiji by playing this down.
Another very interesting point you fail to mention and overlook is the mention that Fiji is now playing catch up. What does this mean? This means your former bosses Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sated Khaiyum ( I am being sarcastic here) failed to address this huge problem and just let it grow under their leadership, they ignored this for many years for reasons know to them ( perhaps some investigative journalism required here for Victor Lal). Maybe you should dig deeper and look into this as to why Bainimamara and Aiyaz did nothing to even acknowledge the drug trade which was so rampant under their leadership ( perhaps an actual deception?).
The Coalition Government must be given credit in acknowledging the problem and is now trying to tackle it with its very limited resources. FACT: THE DEA HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO STOP THE FLOW OF DRUGS FROM SOUTH AMERICA, DESPITE STATE OF ART TECHNOLOGY AND BILLIONS IN DRUG ENFORCEMENT BUDGET
Now to Zhao Fugang, perhaos he is involved in the trafficking of drugs and if Australia’s intelligence report is correct and accurate on Zhao, I am sure the Australian authorities must have shared this intelligence with Fiji. You know this very well Graham, but without hard evidence he cannot be arrested and charged, I am sure the the Fijian Police must be putting the pieces together and when the time is right and if the evidence is there will make the arrest and charge him. So for you to say that Zhao has admitted to being a Chinese agent does not necessarily mean he is guilty of trafficking drugs, remember, these are only allegations that he is involved in organized crime, one cannot be arrested based only on an allegation. Hard evidence is required.
You seem to imply that the people of Fiji should have been told about Zhao a long time ago by suggesting that there is no public record on Zhao activities? This does not mean anything and yes maybe the FBI and the DEA should always brief the American public on their ongoing drug trafficking investigations so that they can alert the suspect.
Investigation are never a public record till such time official charges are laid and then the charges work their way through the court system which is then a matter of public record. How can the investigation on Zhao be of public knowledge if there has been no charges laid?
Perhaps what Tikodudua is saying is the accusation on Zhao is nothing new in that his name has been associated with the drug ring in the public arena.
Lastly, PM Rabuka did state that if China was found to be madling in Fiji’s affairs they will be stopped, His words were something like ” we are a sovereign nation “. But hey you did not report this, did you??
In summary, yes you are right that this drug issue and Zho is very concerning, you are wrong to sensationalize this and say that the Government is deceiving its citizens which makes you sound exactly like a supermarket tabloid and that Fiji is falling apart with the end in sight. Sometimes you do need to step back and be less of a key board warrior (Aiyaz’s words about you, not mine).
Enjoy your NZ vacation
Rajiv, of course I push my own narrative. It is opinion journalism. My opinions, which reflect the opinions of some of my readers some of the time. But they, and you, can take it or leave it. I have always stressed that this is not compulsory reading.
Of course the government is misleading the Fijian people if it says that the allegations detailed in the Nine stories aren’t new. They are new. The Financial Intelligence Unit might know some of the details about Zhao Fugang but the public doesn’t. And the burning question is this: If the FIU has known about the allegations for several years, what has been done about it?
It is also very disturbing that the Prime Minister and the Home Affairs Minister gave vastly different accounts of the state of the security relationship between the Chinese and Fijian governments. Is it back on? The PM said “no”. 24 hours later, according to Nick McKenzie, Pio Tikoduadua said “yes”. So which is it? At best, this is a sign of ineptness. At worst, it gives rise to the suspicion of a deliberate attempt to deceive.
You take issue with me not reporting the PM saying Fiji is a “sovereign nation”. Do sovereign nations allow foreign dictatorships to send their stormtroopers into Fiji to round up individuals without any recourse to proper process and the rule of law? Do sovereign nations ignore evidence that business figures accused of being crime bosses carry out their activities unimpeded? Do sovereign nations allow those individuals to have improper relationships with the country’s leadership and the police?
One thing is certain in all of this. Fijian sovereignty has definitely been compromised. The western intelligence reports on Chinese activities in Fiji are credible and highly disturbing. If Zhao Fugang really is running a massive drug operation through Fiji into Australia then it is a grave security issue for the entire region.
You can cast me as a keyboard warrior but if those who are meant to guard our nation’s security aren’t doing their jobs properly, I’m arguably among the only warriors still standing.
The storm troopers sent by Beijing was allowed for and accommodated under Bainimarama and not Rabuka and the Coalition Government.
The Fijian people will be the ultimate judge of the coalition Government and if they feel that Fiji”s sovereignty has been compromised then people power will vote this Government out.
You don’t need to stand on guard from far away to protect Fiji’s sovereignty.
If the people of Fiji is in agreement with you then they can change course come 2026 election. Change is always a good thing.
And by the way, where is your rage for Bainimara and ASK who had this drug trafficking thing and Zho all under wrap for years and did not do anything about it, ha! they were busy promoting the “Bainimarama Boom”
Now who is being selective? I’m less interested in history lessons than what is happening now. And you conveniently ignore the main points I’ve made in favour of a nakedly partisan attempt to turn the spotlight on the last government. Yes, they are culpable but they are long gone. That was then. This is now.
Well then why are you bringing up the storming of the troops from Beijing if that was then?
No storming of troops by Beijing has happened under the current Government, at least not yet.
You conveniently fail to acknowledge the failure of the past Government is now the gorilla ( drug problem) in the room but choose to pile up and condemn the current Government.
Give them some time to tackle this issue and if they can’t then yes they are incompetent and deserve to be voted out.
Will end any further comments on this issue as I have made my point and we disagree.
Because they are both as bad as each other. This government promised to be different and govern for all. Instead it governs for the iTaukei and governs badly. It is triggering an exodus from the country on a scale not seen since 1987. And come the next election, they are toast.
@Rajiv we can see right through you, currying favor with Rabuka and Pio. Enough of your masi polo already.
Conventional wisdom says if you do not have wisdom within get some from outside to protect Fiji and take it to progress and prosperity. This is not a failure – it is acceptance of truth and builds a good foundation and winning trust. Friends to all and enemies to none will not work. The geopolitical interest of bigger players are here and need to be navigated but there can’t be any credence or opportunity afforded to rogue interests. This will destroy the very fabric of whatever remains of Fiji.
My own analysis is in addition to going morally bankrupt, we are fast leaking talent and we from within are not able to protect our sovereignty by opening the doors to rogue forces to exploit our weakness.
All I can say, watch out Fiji, the worst is still to come. Sovereignty can only be protected if we know how to and not just by words. The dark world will be very overpowering and we will need to be careful not to be entrapped into submission. Unfortunately, the signs so far are very concerning!
Looks like Pio brain also got affected after stroke to his face that’s why first he was defending Lynda and now Chinese mafia Fugan against all wrong doings..
This coalition government is so hell bent on destroying whatever good is left of Fiji that now even Mother Nature is showing its wrath.
Fijians in greater Suva area will have no access to safe drinking water without a timeframe from WAF while we have a billion dollars water industry in Fiji enjoying tax break benefits.
That one vote that created this stupid coalition government is costing each Fijian money, their peace, stress and will soon affect health when water borne diseases will spread.
May the severe thunderstorms strike down Rabuka and his imbecile nincompoops.
That ok Graham. The rest of us who are watching these developments with equal alarm can view the link. And share it. Here you go.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FzW1APWxBjs
This is for the enlightenment of those who sit in denial crying “you lie!” The Neels of the Fijian Utopia.
1. Follow the money.
The intelligence unit at the Reserve Bank should release its latest report to the public like it did for the Chinese couple who was identified and arrested for buying properties in Fiji with no source of income.
2. Security
Security MOU to secure the $300m loan to Vanua levu, Minister of Defence must honor the Security deal made with China. After all, World Bank had said yesterday that China is their largest donor. Big fish to fry here- Asset management etc.