Daniel Suidani, the former premier of the Solomon Islands’ Malaita Province, became a hero among China watchers after he challenged Chinese Communist Party (CCP) influence operations in the region, refused a bribe, and barred CCP-linked companies from operating in his province.
The punishment came swiftly. He was ousted from his position, and when he fell ill and needed brain surgery, he was denied access to care—until Taiwan finally came to his rescue.
I had the rare opportunity of sitting down with Suidani and his adviser Celsus Talifilu when they were on a trip to the United States.
The story of Suidani and the Solomon Islands is a window into the Chinese regime’s tactics across the Pacific, and even here in North America, as it expands its influence, bribes the powerful, and co-opts strategic resources….