Fight for their families, faith, freedom—the things that make us human, and that build community. Beijing is terrified more people will understand that.
WASHINGTON: The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wants you to think this story is about them and their power, but it’s not. It’s about something more important than the CCP will ever be: people of courage and principle coming together to fight. Fight for their families, faith, freedom—the things that make us human, and that build community. Beijing is terrified more people will understand that. So, let’s understand it.
BACKGROUND
In 2019, the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, a country of around 800,000 people off the northeast coast of Australia, unilaterally switched the country’s recognition from Taiwan to China. As a result, we saw what China did from a near standing start in a country with a compliant national government. It didn’t take long for a China-directed rampage through the country’s economy, society and politics.
This is an old story. And a predictable one. What Beijing didn’t account for was the resistance. While many in the country objected to what was going on, two in particular stood out.
Daniel Suidani, a former schoolteacher, had just been elected to the legislature in the province of Malaita, and became premier.
Celsus Talifilu was a policy coordinator for the office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet at the time of the switch. The switch so concerned him that he quit national politics and moved to Malaita to support Suidani’s provincial government.
What they, along with the legislature of Malaita and the province’s traditional chiefs did next was what changed Beijing’s predictable script.
DEFENCE AGAINST THE CCP
The Malaita Province Government (MPG) issued the Auki Communique—named for the capital of Malaita. It announced: “MPG strongly resolves to put in place a Moratorium on Business Licences to new investors connected directly or indirectly with the Chinese Communist Party.”
It said the MPG “acknowledges the freedom of religion as a fundamental right … and therefore rejects the Chinese Communist Party—CCP and its formal systems based on atheist ideology”.
It also reinforced “the need to be free from unwarranted interference of persons and therefore reject any notion of a police state” and that extraction and use of resources must be fair, equitable and sustainable.
Few leaders had so clearly describe nature of the CCP and, at the same time, effectively blocked major CCP projects, including the installation of Huawei towers in Malaita.
From then on, the CCP and its proxies in Solomons (and elsewhere) have predictably used an array of political warfare tools to try to destroy Suidani and Talifilu. We know that story. So let’s instead focus on the remarkable, wide-ranging counters to CCP political warfare that has ranged continents and has shown that the fight is only over if you give up.
POLITICAL WARFARE (PW): DENY HEALTH CARE
When Suidani needed health care not available in Solomon Islands, he was told the national government would fund his trip for care (something normal), but first he’d have to drop his objection to CCP-linked business operating in his province. This was effectively an adoption of China’s social credit system.
COUNTER: BYPASS BLOCKAGES
As news of Suidani’s courage and predicament spread, it reached Prof M.D. Nalapat in India who reached out to the office of the President of Taiwan. Then Taiwanese President Tsai reached out on humanitarian grounds and Suidani travelled to Taiwan where he received the required medical care.
PW: BUY OFF ERSTWHILE ALLIES AND GROW YOUR OPPOSITION
While Suidani and Talifilu were away, China and its proxies tried to discredit them and to undermine Suidani’s position in the legislature. At the same time, they consolidated power at the national level. A Chinese slush fund was used to give money to 39 of the 50 members of the national legislature, given them legislative leverage.
Meanwhile, the national government withheld viable development projects from Malaita and, according to a petition signed by thousands of Malaitans, the national “government continually harasses the [local] government of Malaita through individuals, the media and even through the abuse of legal process”.
Hon. Peter Kenilorea Jr., former Permanent Secretary for the Solomon Islands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, said: “We are on the front line of the aggression from the Chinese Communist Party. The political warfare is on. The geopolitical front line is in our tiny nation of the Solomon Islands, and we have one province [Malaita] that has been targeted and harassed—this is a real everyday occurrence.”
It culminated on October 27, 2021, when pro-Chinese factions tried to bring forward a vote of no confidence against Premier Suidani.
COUNTER: PEOPLE PEACEFULLY DEFEND DEMOCRACY
According to Kenilorea: “Thousands of Malaita Province people took to the streets in Auki in a powerful show of solidarity in support for Premier Suidani. Villagers with very little money contributed towards purchase of fuel for transportation into Auki.”
The police got involved and the motion of no confidence was withdrawn by the Member who proposed it, Elijah Asilaua. Asilaua apologized for his actions and asked forgiveness for working against the will of the people. Premier Suidani also apologized—to Asilaua for the actions of the crowd, and thanked him for withdrawing the motion. Remember Asilaua, we will see him again.
The following years saw relentless political warfare attacks against Suidani and Talifilu by CCP proxies, followed by effective counters by a wide range of defenders. Some examples:
PW: ISOLATE THE TARGET
Following lavish money flows and influence operations, Suidani was finally taken out as premier in a vote of no confidence. He then had his elected seat taken away for not recognizing China’s definition of the One China Policy.
COUNTER: EXPAND SUPPORT NETWORK
After a long and expensive legal battle, in which he was supported by, among others, the China Democracy Fund, the courts found Suidani’s removal had been illegal.
PW: RESTRICT MOVEMENT
Suidani and Talifilu were scheduled to attend an environmental leaders’ meeting at the United Nations. Their message was a problem not only to China, but to those wanting to do business with China or appease the Pro-China government in power in Solomon Islands (you’ll note there has been no mention of support for these men or their message coming from Australia).
Perhaps coincidentally, Suidani was denied a visa to the United States.
COUNTER: SERIOUS PEOPLE ASKING SERIOUS QUESTIONS
U.S. Members of Congress publicly voiced their concerns. Congressman Neal Dunn said “The denial of Daniel Suidani’s visa application is suspicious and unusual. Mr. Suidani displayed tremendous courage in barring CCP-linked companies from his province while serving as Premier. He should be welcomed to the U.S. with open arms, not with more hurdles.” And Pacific Island Caucus co-Chairs Congresswoman Radewagen (R-American Samoa) and Congressman Case (D-Hawaii) wrote to Secretary Blinken.
Perhaps coincidentally, Suidani’s visa was issued.
PW: CUT OFF THE MONEY
Popular online show China Uncensored raised close to $28,000 in 24 hours on GoFundMe to support Suidani and Talifilu’s defence against lawfare and to cover their trip from New York to Washington, D.C. GoFundMe didn’t release the money. The reason wasn’t clear (there is no indication that the CCP was involved).
COUNTER: PUBLICITY
Suidani, Talifilu and Chris Chappell from China Uncensored were invited to testify before a Congressional Commission. Just before the hearing, the funds were released.
There was more, but you get the idea. Which brings us to today.
PW: LAWFARE
In the last elections, Suidani was reelected to his seat by a wide margin.
Asilaua (remember him—the Member who tried to take out Sudani in a vote of no confidence) became premier. And promptly went to China. Twice. The Huawei towers are going in to Malaita.
And the lawfare restarted. Suidani and Talifilu were arrested for unlawful assembly related to the events around the failed attempt at the vote of no confidence—the one Asilaua previously apologized for. He is now the main complainant and witness.
The method of arrest was unusual and the charges are dubious—one had to be dropped because Suidani and Talifilu were in Taiwan at the time, and it is unclear how a premier can be part of an unlawful assembly in his own province. But the lawfare is wearing them down—as intended—and their lawyer is working pro bono given all this lawfare has left the men impoverished.
COUNTER?
Over the last six years, a Taiwanese President, an Indian academic, the people of Malaita, YouTube stars, the National Press Club, a Canadian publisher, U.S. Members of Congress, hundreds of small donors and many others have realized Suidani and Talifilu are on the front line of the fight for all our freedoms and have rallied to their side. That’s who I want this story to be about. The vast, global family of good guys.
Beijing meanwhile wants this to be the final blow—cementing its narrative that China cannot be resisted.
What’s needed now is a decisive blow (or several) for the good guys. Australia could go after the CCP-linked money corrupt Solomon Island officials are laundering through Australian real estate. The US could designate corrupt officials. Environmental and financial crime with transnational elements could be properly investigated and prosecuted. Enough playing defense.
What happens next is up to all of us. And will affect all of us.
Cleo Paskal is Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and columnist with The Sunday Guardian.
