SYDNEY — From dazzling the world at the Beijing Olympic Games, China now appears to be turning its attention to the South Pacific. Its chosen beachhead to begin island- hopping is Fiji.
In Suva, the hot, sultry capital city, Fiji is set to welcome a new patron to champion its somewhat tarnished reputation among the scattered island nations of Oceania. Of the many problems facing these tiny states, few have such a ready-made case for a Big Brother intervention as Fiji.
A wakeup call to neighboring countries sounded at the latest Pacific Forum, the regional summit of island heads of state. At these talks on the tiny island of Niue, 15 regional leaders met to discuss ways to overcome pressing social and economic problems. Only one member was a no-show, Fiji.