Graeme Smith
Coverage of Graeme Smith in the Nexus archive.
- ‘Seismic shift’ toward Aussie orbit likely under Solomon Islands’ new prime minister
Matthew Wale was sworn in as Solomon Islands prime minister after winning 26 of 50 parliamentary votes, replacing Jeremiah Manele who was ousted in a no-confidence vote. Experts suggest Wale's leadership represents a diplomatic shift toward Australia and away from China's sphere of influence, though moderate engagement with Beijing is expected to continue.
- Soft power ‘win’ for Beijing as Chinese medical ship treats 5,400 for free in PNG
China's hospital ship Silk Road Ark completed a 7-day visit to Papua New Guinea, providing free medical services to 5,493 patients and performing 339 surgeries before departing Wednesday. The mission is viewed as effective soft power diplomacy for Beijing, as China can undertake surgical risks that Western nations like the U.S. and Australia are reluctant to assume due to liability concerns.