Pacific China Diplomacy - CathNews New Zealand

Papua New Guinea's timber exports to China illegal

admin — Thu, 02 Aug 2018 08:04:32 +0000

Millions of tonnes of illegally logged timber, felled from forests across Papua New Guinea (PNG), are being exported to China and from there to the world as finished wood products, a new report from Global Witness has revealed.

In 2016, PNG provided 29% of China's tropical log imports, making it the country's single largest supplier.

The report notes that, on paper, the legal system in PNG guarantees that indigenous Papua New Guineans have control over their forests.

"In reality, however, the government is responsible for a catastrophic failure to uphold these laws, and the forest sector has been plagued for decades by allegations of corruption and lawbreaking."

The investigation reveals how a large number of logging operations in PNG violate the law despite their holding government-issued permits.

China is the world's largest consumer and manufacturer of wood and wood products.

Yet it has no regulation to keep illegal timber from entering its borders.

The report says the timber trade has profound implications for PNG.

70% of the country is covered by forest ecosystems that are home to some of the world's rarest plants and animals.

The forest is also central to the cultural traditions and livelihoods of PNG's eight million people.

By continuing to import tropical timber from PNG on such a scale, China is driving the destruction of a vulnerable and ancient forest, the report says.

The report makes two recommendation for action by China and six for action by PNG.

Source

Papua New Guinea's timber exports to China illegal

China calls Australia and New Zealand bullies

admin — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 19:30:40 +0000

When Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress met with Fiji President Epeli Nailatikau in Fiji last Friday he said China believed that all countries, big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak, are equal members of the international community, and that international affairs should be handled by all countries through consultation on an equal footing.

"China has always opposed those big, rich or strong countries bullying the small, poor or weak ones," Wu added.

According to blogger and journalist Graham Davis, while Wu was careful in his public comments not to mention any country by name, the message to Australia and NZ is blunt: Stop bullying Fiji. Stop isolating it. China will continue to try to persuade you to engage with Fiji in a constructive way and on an equal footing.

Guo Chunmei, an expert on Australian studies at China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, said China's aid and support to the civic development and infrastructure of Pacificisland countries has been consistent and selfless.

She said the new agreements signed on Friday, including the planned favorable loans,answered Fiji's urgent need to develop its economy. Fiji's relations with Australia and NewZealand were strained after the two countries condemned the Pacific island nation's coup in 2006. Recently, the two countries began to show an interest in restoring diplomatic ties with Fiji.

"And different from other countries, China does not provide aid motivated by gains," Guo said.

Source

China calls Australia and New Zealand bullies