Under Mr Suidani's leadership, Malaita has told the central government of the Solomons that it wants to stick with Taiwan and there have even been threats of secession. The Chinese Communist Party is aggressively seeking influence and resources wealth in the Pacific through its Belt and Road Initiative, and the latest developments come only a few years after Australia spent more than $1 billion and a decade stabilising the Solomons with the RAMSI mission, which ended that nation's civil war. China’s already active diplomacy and investment in the region could extend to assisting an independent Bougainville. Credit:Ben Bohane Among the projects China is interested in are the Gold Ridge mine, the Tulagi port and other strategic areas on Guadalcanal, the Solomons' main island. Also revealed is the scale of a Chinese master plan for Bougainville as it heads towards a referendum on independence from Papua New Guinea. It’s expected a clear majority of Bougainvilleans will vote in the next few weeks for independence, and if PNG’s Parliament ratifies the outcome, then Bougainville is on track to become the newest nation in our region since Timor Leste.

A public presentation by former Bougainville Revolutionary Army general Sam Kauona, filmed by a crew from 60 Minutes in recent weeks, shows Mr Kauona unfurling a large satellite map of Bougainville with Chinese script highlighting proposed bridges, a port at Torokina on the west coast (where US forces landed in World War II), a highway linking Buka town in the north with Buin in the south, an airport and a luxury resort, among other proposed developments. Mining is almost certainly part of the deal. “This is the first holistic offer, which has come from China,” Mr Kauona told attending ward councillors and MPs. “Where is Australia and the US and Japan? Earlier this year I met representatives from Fortescue mining but I have been waiting 10 months for them to make a commitment," Mr Kauona said. Former Bougainville Revolutionary Army general and now a leading independence figure, Sam Kauona. Credit:Ben Bohane "So far they are keeping me at arm’s length, so we don’t know if they are genuine. At the moment China’s offer is plan A.” Mr Kauona, one of the leading candidates to become next president of Bougainville, says he is not necessarily “pro-China”, and wants companies who can help partner in nation-building. “We are a treasure island. As we move towards independence we want partners who are interested in helping us build a nation, not just exploit our resources.

"It seems that Western banks are closed to us but eastern ones are open. China has made a proposal and we are still waiting to hear from our Australian and American friends if they have any proposals.” If PNG seriously delays or does not ratify the vote, there is the prospect of a Bougainville unilateral declaration of independence that could well be recognised by some Pacific countries – and China. Bougainville Revolutionary Army guerillas above the Panguna copper-gold mine in 1994. Credit:Ben Bohane As Bougainville’s war for independence was beginning in 1989, Mr Kauona, then a young officer in the PNG defence forces, was being trained in explosives by the Australian Defence Force in Portsea, Victoria. He left Australia and switched sides, running the naval blockade of his island via the “back door” of the Solomons and taking command of a nascent guerilla force. Successfully resisting the PNG defence forces takeover of Bougainville, he later brought the rank-and-file revolutionary army soldiers into the peace process when women chiefs had had enough of the war.

Yet despite bringing his fighters into a lasting peace process and working towards economic development, Australia denied him a visa for more than 20 years, only recently allowing him and his wife Josie visas. But the damage was done. In recent years he says he was forced to conduct most of his business meetings in Singapore and Hong Kong. Loading Although still well disposed to Australia, he is angry at his treatment and wants Australia to apologise to him and to Bougainville for its role in the war, at a time when reconciliations between Papua New Guinea Defence Force and Bougainville Revolutionary Army soldiers have already begun. Former PNG Prime Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu and former PNGDF Commander Brigadier-General Jerry Singirok apologised for their roles in the war last week in emotional ceremonies where former foes shook hands, chewed betelnut and declared “no more war”. Mr Kauona, speaking in the Bougainville capital Arawa, said he feels responsible for helping rebuild Bougainville and is open to offers from anywhere.