Christmas this year has certainly arrived early for Samoa, and other Pacific countries. After nearly three years of not being able to welcome any diplomatic visits due to COVID-19 restrictions, to have two high-level visits within the space of a few days felt rather strange. A sign that things are returning to normal with the August opening of international borders drawing nearer. 

Firstly, Samoa welcomed China’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, last weekend. Spending 16-hours in Apia as part of a whirlwind Pacific tour that culminated in the 2nd China–Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Fiji, the Chinese delegation had a busy schedule. After a late night arrival on Friday night, a meeting with the Head of State, His Highness Tuimaleali’ifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II preceded the bilateral with Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, the very next day.  After exchanging a few pleasantries, Minister Wang and Prime Minister Fiame penned an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement. 

"The bilateral discussions on Saturday was aimed to strengthen diplomatic relations between China and Samoa, which is marking its 47th year this year alongside Samoa’s 60th independence anniversary," a carefully worded joint statement reads. "The meeting covered issues of mutual interest and concern including key regional priorities such as climate change, the pandemic and peace and security.” 

As if we ever needed reminding, we were told that “China is a key development partner for Samoa providing infrastructural developments in the health, education and public administration sectors, human resource development, sports development and technical cooperation in the agriculture sector.” 

Last but the most telling was the sentence that reads: “Key to the bilateral relations between China and Samoa is the adherence to the one China principle." The term One China Policy is something to think about.

Apart from being that told that the bilateral agreement will fund “projects to be determined and mutually agreed between the respective countries”, the details of the bilateral agreement have yet to be made pubic. We shall wait and see. 

But the dust at the sleepy Faleolo International Airport had barely settled from the departure of China’s Foreign Minister when Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong, touched down. Like her Chinese counterpart, Ms Wong had also been jet-setting in the Pacific with a visit to Fiji and Tonga. And yes like China’s Foreign Minister Mr Wang, she too came bearing gifts.  A key part of the visit included a new eight-year Human development and Social inclusion partnership, which promises to tackle Samoa’s most "critical" challenges. 

“We understand that we need to work together like never before, for our peoples and for generations to come,” Ms Wong said. “We want to make a uniquely Australian contribution to help build a stronger Pacific family – through social and economic opportunities including pandemic recovery, health, development and infrastructure support, as well as through our Pacific labour programs and permanent migration.

“We will increase our contribution to regional security: we understand that the security of the Pacific is the responsibility of the Pacific family, of which Australia is a part. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with our Pacific family in addressing the existential threat of climate change. And we will deepen cultural and sporting ties.”

Fantastic. With those sentiments, the Australian Foreign Minister delivered the announcement of a new Guardian-class patrol boat to replace the badly damaged Nafanua II, a result of the recent General Election crisis. And with that, Ms Wong has returned to Canberra, Australia, where she truly belongs. Just like Mr Wang has gone back to Beijing in China. 

We acknowledge with gratitude China’s support for Samoa; a relationship for 47 years and growing is certainly a long time. We also thank Australia for their support, noting that this is the 50th year of diplomatic ties with our biggest Pacific neighbor. 

Truth be told, without countries like China, Australia and all other donor countries, life would be very difficult for Samoa. It’s same case for all other smaller countries not just in the region but also in the world. 

Interestingly, is it a coincident that all this is happening on the week Samoa has just celebrated her 60th Independence anniversary? Indeed, it has been 60 years since Samoa regained self-control from colonial rule. Back in those days, the colonisers came with warships, guns and force. There was also a war breaking out in the Pacific and it was the result of that fighting that our ancestors were forced to yield and be colonised. 

What about now? Are there any similarities? 

Maybe not when it comes to a war with guns and warships. But the geopolitical war between the bigger nations of the world for control of the Pacific, including Samoa, is very real. It has been going on for years and it is only intensifying. It would be ignorant of us as a nation to pretend we are not aware of it. Prime Minister Fiame has certainly made no attempts to hide the fact, judging from her recent comments and we applaud her. The Prime Minister and her Government must be awake to what is happening.

The geopolitical battle is not just about Samoa, for the Pacific, it is about which of the big nations get the most mileage out of the ongoing chequebook diplomacy. It is not a question of whether chequebook diplomacy is happening; it’s a question of how much and who comes with the least stringent conditions. This scenario is being played out on all fronts, from the development space, infrastructure, education, media and environment to the sporting fields and more. 

Despite the carefully worded statements and all the niceties, let us be reminded today that there is no such thing as a free lunch. There is a cost to all this, someone will have to pay and as this newspaper has warned time and time again, it will not be the generations of today. It will be the unborn generations of Samoa who will have to face the threat of being colonised all over again, if our leaders of today, including Prime Minister Fiame, are not careful about what they commit our people to when they sign those bilateral agreements. 

The word for our Government today is Caution, with a capital C.

Have a wonderful weekend Samoa, God bless!