Public money, public trust, & public security require public accountability. The Cook Islands people, whether living in Rarotonga, Aotearoa, Australia, or elsewhere, deserve clarity from their political leaders. My oped with Louisa Wall #CookIslands #China www.cookislandsnews.com/internal/opi...

Infrastructure is influence in the Pacific. Either like-minded states will find a way to fund and build strategic ports like Bina Harbor, or they’ll lose their influence – and security. My latest oped @thediplomat.com #SolomonIslands #China thediplomat.com/2025/11/solo...

NZ has a right to expect that the Cook Islands would defend and protect common security interests in the Realm. My latest oped with Louisa Wall www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/3608...

My cartoon ‘National Security PC small group of 🇺🇸’ ———— Support my art & Order my first graphic novel 'You Must Take Part in Revolution' ： badiucao.com/book

NZ has never looked more isolated. The rules-based international order is being vaporised. The alliances that guaranteed NZ security since the end of WWII are finished. A new order is forming in Europe, but NZ is not yet named among the like-minded states. www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/3606...

China's message to Australia and NZ: we can cut off your air and sea links in the Tasman without warning. China's aggressive act is a shot across the bow to Australia/NZ, but also the countries of the South West Pacific. thediplomat.com/2025/02/a-sh...

China and Cook Islands will partner on maritime infrastructure, hydrography, and disaster cooperation that would allow China to bring in military forces. The Cook Islands will now have to consult with China to coordinate policy before attending regional meetings. thediplomat.com/2025/02/cook...

Cook Islands, along with Niue and Tokelau, is part of the Realm of NZ. The Realm is like a Monroe Doctrine, but one with no teeth. NZ lacks any credible military and financial might to defend it, and China is steadily picking off the member states. thediplomat.com/2025/02/cook...

In 2024, 33 NZ police went on a "cultural competency" trip to China. The visit was organised by CTS, in charge of PRC political tourism. A CCP united front work official met with the group, a senior ufw leader travelled with them. What could go wrong? www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3605...

Petition calling for NZ Parliament to hold an inquiry into China’s foreign interference activities in NZ and the Pacific. Anyone in the world can sign, as residence/nationality are irrelevant for NZ petitions; signatures are not publicised. Link to sign here: petitions.parliament.nz/c80490e3-cc4...

EXCLUSIVE Politico Europe 📢 My paper assessing China's foreign interference activities in New Caledonia comes out in a few hours at ASPI. I have been working on it for 8 years. It is wonderful to see it out at last! www.politico.eu/article/fran...

Vindication and some justice for @siouxsiew.bsky.social 🥂 www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3503...

Always good to see my brave friend Freeman Yu @freemannz.bsky.social✊ #UnitedFrontAgainstTheUnitedFront #反统战的统战

Aotearoa NZ's Rocket Lab National Security will “design, manufacture, deliver & operate 18 space vehicles” for U.S. Space Development Agency. SDA is building a mesh network of military satellites in low Earth orbit known as the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture spacenews.com/rocket-lab-w...

Questions, questions👉 In a rare statement, PRC Vanuatu Embassy say the owner of VFIL, a furniture company whose staff wear PLA Marines uniforms while clearing pristine forest is a "former" NZ passport holder. www.dailypost.vu/news/vanuatu...

New RNZ report on VFIL, owned by PRC citizen, resident in NZ, whose forestry workers dress in PLA uniforms while logging in strategic Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu. Vanuatu govt now say the wood is for paper; PRC media says it's for furniture. Why is the land being cleared? www.rnz.co.nz/internationa...

Breaking @Reuters: Chinese firm barred from Vanuatu log exports after landowner complaints. Great to work with @KirstyLNeedham on this concerning story which raises many questions. I have exclusive access to the photos in thread below 👇 www.reuters.com/world/asia-p...

Ukraine thanks Aotearoa NZ for ongoing support. twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/...

In 1999, Gerry Brownlee, currently Speaker of the NZ Parliament, called for the Maori Language Commission to be abolished: "Just try walking down the street of any major city in the country. No one is speaking Maori." www.stuff.co.nz/national/pol...

1990: Labour Māori Affairs Minister Koro Wētere answered question posed by Winston Peters in te reo Māori--without translation into English being provided. Peters raised Point of order. The Speaker of the House said under Standing Orders no translation required. www.ngataonga.org.nz/search-use-c...

Disturbing to observe Acting PM Winston Peters refuse to answer a question addressed to him in te reo Māori in NZ Parliament today. NZ has two official languages: te reo Māori and NZ sign language. The Waitangi Tribunal ruled te reo is a taonga (treasure) that NZ governments are obliged to protect.

Political resistance via cartoons/漫画 has a strong tradition in China. Popular magazine “Selected Essays”《杂文选刊》was closed down this month for publishing a cover image of a fat hand that looks like that of Xi Jinping, instructing faceless people to jump off a cliff. chinaheritage.net/journal/othe...

"breaches were first detected as far back as 2015, when experts realised sleeper malware–software that can lurk and be used to spy or attack systems–had been embedded in Sellafield’s computer networks...It is still not known if the malware has been eradicated." www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Gold @bodycartoon.bsky.social

The swearing in of Aotearoa NZ Parliament today is surely a golden moment for connoisseurs of the NZ accent. Most NZ MPs have now formally sworn their allegiance to King Charles' "ears" 👂👂 They meant to say his "heirs" 👶 but it takes a lot of care to say that in NZ English. youtu.be/cMh5jQ_AoC0

New crop of Aotearoa MPs sworn in to NZ Parliament today. Very cool to listen to Green MP Lan Pham read her pledge in te reo Māori, then Vietnamese. Definitely a first in NZ Parliament. Dan Bidois NZ National Party swore allegiance to "Her/His Majesty". Surely also a first 😂 youtu.be/cMh5jQ_AoC0

Channel 4 detail links between UK universities and PLA-affiliated organisations in China sharing military-civil technology. Sharing military technology with China is a breach of the Wassernaar Arrangement, it's also contrary to UK national security interests www.channel4.com/programmes/s...

Absolutely must watch📣 Channel 4 Dispatches, on China's foreign interference activities in the UK--including concerning aspects of CCP/united front work and links with the UK Conservative Party. www.channel4.com/programmes/s...

The NZ National Party-NZ First coalition agreement has no mention of foreign policy. This will be interesting to watch. www.documentcloud.org/documents/24...

PM Rabuka of Fiji speaking with forked tongue on China. A big change from his earlier statements. www.theguardian.com/world/2023/n...

"Perman said Chinese officials were aggressively working to establish a presence across every inch of the Pacific and would “do anything” in that pursuit." www.axios.com/american-mil...

Excellent investigation by Channel 4 on CCP foreign interference: Secrets & Power: China in the UK Dispatches investigates PRC interference with UK institutions & repression of dissidents on UK soil. Undercover filming reveals a suspected Chinese spy--an American--engaging with a UK-based activist

Judith Collins will be Aotearoa NZ's next minister of NZSIS, GCSB, Defence, and Space. Todd McClay is Minister of Trade. With Winston as Foreign Minister. External Relations and Security Cabinet meetings will be interesting.

Winston Peters as Foreign Minister again for Aotearoa NZ in the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition government. Good to know we will have stability in our foreign policy.

Thanks for the laugh today @bodycartoon.bsky.social 😂

How many police/military personnel do the peaceful Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands really need? China has now sent more police to work with SIPF, Australia sent 100 police, NZ two helicopters and personnel, Fiji DF are there too--also all "working with SIPF". www.rsipf.gov.sb?q=node%2F2811

The critic and conscience role of the academic plays an essential role in our democracy in Aotearoa NZ. It is protected by legislation and it is one of the core tasks and privileges of being an academic in our society. For me, it is one of the guiding principles of why I do what I do.

Key point: "The inability to charge the defendants with offences under the Electoral Act exposes a significant weakness in the offence provisions of that Act." www.newsroom.co.nz/national-par...

Aotearoa NZ's approach to political donations is out of step with other countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Fiji, each of which place more restrictions on cash flowing into political parties. www.rnz.co.nz/news/alert-t...

NZ needs better legislation to deal with foreign interference. We can start by passing a Foreign Agents Registration law. Political parties must do due diligence on all donations. Donors must verify that they are the source of the funds 👇 www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/sub...

Pacific media need laptops and other such tangible resources, not another course organised by the likemindeds on how to be a good journalist!

Droll, and not unsurprising. China has been giving Australia the cold shoulder for decades.

Tracking this case closely. Big hugs to @siouxsiew.bsky.social ❤️ www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/dr-siouxs...

The French Parliamentary Delegation for Intelligence (DPR) are calling for a national foreign interference awareness campaign focused on national and local government, businesses, and academia. www.euractiv.com/section/poli...

Great article in Le Monde today detailing what's so good about @bsky.app. Bluesky : ce qu’il faut savoir avant de s’inscrire sur le concurrent de Twitter (lemonde.fr)