Samoa Suspends Beijing’s Port Plan;
Prime Minister-Elect: Samoa Has Long Owed China a Heavy Debt

Fiame Naomi Mataafa, the Prime Minister-elect of Pacific Island Samoa, promised to suspend the port plan led by Beijing, costing about 100 million USD. She also pointed out that a small country with huge debts to China does not need such a large port.

Prime Minister-elect Fiame Naomi Mataafa defeated opponents last month, becoming the first woman prime minister in Samoa. She indicated that Samoa would keep a favourable relation with China, but there are more pressing issues to deal with at the moment. The port plan has already caused controversy in China and is one of the most influential issues in the local election in April.

Mataafa stated in a Reuters interview, “Samoa is a small country. Our seaports and airports cater for our needs. It's very difficult to imagine that we would need the scale that's being proposed under this particular project when there are more pressing projects that the government needs to give priority to.”.

Source: Stand News #May20

https://bit.ly/3vAxBnQ

#Samoa #Beijing #China #Debts #PacificIsland #Port #Mataafa #Reuters

Samoa's new leader confirms scrapping of China-funded port

The new prime minister of Samoa has confirmed she will cancel a China-backed port project, but hasn't closed the door to China as she navigates a path for the Pacific nation against a backdrop of intensifying regional competition between Beijing and Washington.

Fiame Naomi Mataafa indicated she would only approve investments that had clear benefits for her country as she expressed doubts about the upside for the Pacific in being a pawn in a geopolitical tussle between the two superpowers.

Mataafa said China's interest in the Pacific had grown as the United States effectively "moved out" of the region.

Source: Reuters #Jul30

https://reut.rs/376vxt4

#China #Beijing #Port #Sydney

A French company with connections to Beijing had bought the rights to control the third largest #Port in America. What could be at stake here? #Espionage? Or possibly influence on local politicians?

https://ept.ms/USBeatsChina

The U.S. has convinced fellow #NATO ally #Croatia to block a Chinese company from upgrading a major #Port in Europe—a major deep water seaport. Officials from the U.S. and the EU have weighed in on the issue, reported the Wall Street Journal.

https://ept.ms/AngerChinaCrazy_CIF