China has announced its intention to finagle its way into building a $39billion on Daru Island in Papua New Guinea, which would effectively place it on our doorstep. The proposed project, which is so far only in the ‘threat’ stage, would result, they say, in the development of a major seaport and commercial district with a tourist resort and residential area. What’s more, it would be only 200km north of Cape York as the seagull flies.
The company behind this preposterous idea is a suspect Hong Kong-registered company, WYW Holdings Ltd, linked to China’s evil government. They submitted their plans to PNG’s government last April.
Hitherto the stridently unethical Communist Dictatorship under President Xi Jinping, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with our idiot neighbour to develop a $204million fishery complex at Daru, despite being no commercial fishery situated there. There is nothing there but poor Islanders and whatever sea life they can trawl out of the waters.
Now, let’s get down to brass tacks here, nobody except for perhaps Andrew Robb and Paul Keating would be fooled as to the intention here. The idea of developing a megacity in the swamps of PNG, and a “commercial district and tourist resort” at that is like suggesting they are planning to open a casino in the Simpson Desert. It sounds too ridiculous to be true. For instance, who in the hell is going to want to “tour” one of the most uninhabitable and poverty-ravaged areas on earth? But more importantly, what “business” are they planning to rely on, what is their backbone going to be? Fisheries? Nah, that’s just Sino jive. What’s more, China plans to take total ownership of the project until such unspecified time as they don’t need it anymore and hand it over to the locals.
Heh, like, sure thing, Xi. What are PNG Islanders going to do with an empty ‘mega-city’? And just how pleased are they likely to be if one is developed? China isn’t going to use local labour, and it certainly won’t be inviting any locals to stay at its “resort”, which they couldn’t afford to set a foot in any way. The only people there will be soldiers, sailors, and whatever “important” Communist personage they ship in to make the place look full. Probably, they’d invite Joe Biden and he’d happily stay there, wearing his COVID mask, waving at the cameras without the slightest clue where he is or what day it is.
So, what’s the real rub? Well, we all know that, too. If they are sincere about building anything it will be a navy base. The whole idea is simply about threatening Australia. Anything on top of that will just be cover for other additions, perhaps an airstrip for Chinese fighters. The question is, can we rely on our backward neighbours to read between the lines? To not be hypnotised by the filthy lucre? Sadly, no. The whole Island runs on bribes and payoffs. And what are they going to, turn down $5billion in kina? That would buy the crooks in power more betel nut than they’ve ever dreamed of.
PNG Prime Minister James Marape has acted coy about the project, feigning ignorance. But a spokesman for Marape had a chillingly mercenary reply, “If a foreign investor wants to come to PNG with multimillion Kina investments, PNG will not stop them, on condition that all our laws are complied with and local Papua New Guineas benefit from these type of projects.” By “local Papua New Guineans” he means him and his family.
Yet, if our Kina-strapped neighbours understand that by allowing such a development they will effectively be signing off on World War 3 being launched from their tiny island it might (we say might) just have a little more impact.
This will be a test for our bozo Prime Minister, who just may need a Hawaiian holiday to get his feeble mind around it. No doubt, those in opposition are probably preparing a welcome flotilla to greet them up at Cape York when their navy strays into our waters. Daniel Andrews is likely to move his family up from Victoria he’ll be so excited at the prospect. But as for us nationalists, we’d be better set to make a big deal about this — the kind of noise that our fuzzy-wuzzy friends cannot help but hear. The head-on confrontation with China is as inevitable as the sun rising in the morning. It’s time to wake up and smell the Kung Pow.
