Will Glasgow

READING LEVEL: RED Rescue efforts have continued in Taiwan after the island nation was hit by its biggest earthquake in 25 years on Wednesday. A 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit just off the coast of Hualien, a city in Taiwan’s east, shortly before 8am local time, causing strong tremors that could also be felt in the neighbouring lands of China and Japan. Sadly, at least nine people have lost their lives and more than 900 have been injured as rescuers scramble to find dozens still trapped.

As Australia and Papua New Guinea signed a sweeping security pact this week, comments by Liu Jianchao in Sydney last week that China “respect[s] the role and the influence of Australia in the Pacific Island countries” come into mind. The Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee since last year said Beijing has no hidden agenda in Australia’s Pacific neighborhood China has no intention of seeking any sphere of influence.