Last week, directly following the announcement of a new prime minister in the Solomon Islands, a mob moved upon and attacked the Chinatown district in Honiara.
The world has since been asking why the ethnic Chinese were targeted in such mob violence, and down such ethnic lines.
The prime minister of Australia, John Howard, weighed in on the debate last week when he said that —
Countries other than countries that are geographically part of the region do not necessarily have the interests of the region at heart.
He was, guardedly, referring to China, Taiwan, and a term titled chequebook diplomacy.
World View’s Adam Connors spoke to several academics and politicians to define the term, beginning with Centre of Independent Studies’ Susan Windybank.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
