A spearphishing email might appear to come from a trusted colleague or organisation. It might ask the recipient to urgently review a document or reset a password
Along with China, the so-called Asian Tigers and lately India, are all transforming from ‘Third World” economies to “First World” economies within a span of one generation.
The PRC’s representatives in Melanesia integrate these three strands of Chinese statecraft to complement each other’s effects and adapt them to conditions on the ground.
Under current budget settings, Australia’s defence-to-ODA spending ratio will reach almost 12:1 in 2025–26 and increase to a new record of over 13:1 by 2030.
Beneath attractive terms lies a potential trap: as the Cook Islands become increasingly reliant on Chinese funding, it risks compromising its fiscal sovereignty.
Opposition ledaer Peter Dutton reaffirmed the need for a robust national security strategy, one that prioritises Australia’s self-reliance and resilience.
There is no indication the Chinese vessels undertook any surface-to-air exercises, and it remains unclear whether the initial firings involved medium-calibre weapons or smaller arms.
The crash killed 42-year-old mother Nancy Lefrançois and her 11-year-old son Loïc Chevalier, who were travelling in a passenger vehicle struck in the collision.
