Login
Subscribe
PREMIUM
Samoa just had an election. Was China the real winner?
China has funded many projects for Samoa.
(Photo: Samoa Observer)
By Anne-Marie Brady, Wendy Cheung, Martin Hála and Bryce Vevey
•
17 December 2025, 8:30AM
When Samoa turned red at the ballot box in August 2025, it wasn’t just a political swing—it was a geopolitical shockwave. Susuga Laʻaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Fosi Schmidt (Laʻaulialemalietoa), facing ten criminal charges and recently expelled from his own government, swept to victory with 40 per cent of the vote. It was a win for Laʻaulialemalietoa, but it was a win for China too.
By Anne-Marie Brady, Wendy Cheung, Martin Hála and Bryce Vevey
•
17 December 2025, 8:30AM
