Apec and the Chinese link

The Apec Leaders’ Summit in Port Moresby is less than 100 days away.
To decide the country’s future, it now depends on the leaders to strike deals and make agreements with other countries during the Apec meetings.
I write to support the statement made by former prime minister and Western Highlands Governor Paias Wingti in Parliament backing Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on the partnership with China.
During this time when the world’s economic superpowers are engaged in a trade war, China’s Belt and Road Initiative will have a big influence on the Indo-Pacific region.
Then United States knows this and because they still maintain the top post in terms of economic and military powers, they will not allow China to take over.
Australia, US and Japan used our land for World War Two and force our forefathers to help them in the war for their superpower gain and left us without development. Australia, the US and Japan are up against China in the bid for influence in the Pacific through development.
However, Australian, US and Japanese aid come as a form of neo-colonialism assistance whereas China helps through soft loans. China has no influence over the Government and it gives us real development.
In support of what Wingti suggested, we should make a deal with China and give it, for example, 10 per cent of all the mining, oil and gas revenue and tell it to open up this country by building roads and other forms of infrastructure. China is now the big player in the Pacific region – not Australia, US or Japan – and China is planning to spend massively in the Pacific.
Our government has to make important decisions during the Apec meetings which should lead us into seeing real changes like a reduction in poverty levels, putting the economy on a good track, educational institutions with e-libraries and fast internet, connecting remote government stations with roads and having effective air and sea transportations.

Mervin K Mukul
Millep Ond Dam
@UPNG