Kiribati votes as China ties, cost of living loom large

People in Kiribati have gone to the polls for the first round of voting in a national election expected to serve as a referendum on rising living costs and the government's stronger ties with China. A second round of voting is scheduled on August 19 for all parliamentary seats that are not won by a majority vote on Wednesday. Results from the first round are expected on Thursday. The Pacific Island nation of low-lying atolls with 120,000 people is one of the most threatened in the world by rising sea levels and does not command the resource wealth or tourism branding of other Pacific islands. But its proximity to Hawaii and its huge ocean expanse have bolstered its strategic importance and provoked an influence skirmish between Western powers and Beijing. The Kiribati government switched its allegiance from pro-Taiwan to pro-Beijing in 2019, citing its national interest and joining several other Pacific nations that have severed diplomatic ties with Taipei since 2016. Kiribati is one of the most aid-dependent nations in the world and is rated at high risk of external debt distress by the International Monetary Fund. Its existence is threatened by coastal erosion and rising seas that have contaminated drinking water and driven much of the population onto the most populous island, South Tarawa. Analysts say few details about the campaigning or this week's vote have appeared online and there are few English-language news sources in the country. The blocked or delayed entry of Australian officials to Kiribati and a stalled flow of information between the governments in recent years have prompted anxiety in Canberra about the scale of Beijing's influence. "A lot of countries in the region are really trying to find their place with a lot of geo-strategic competition," said Blake Johnson, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Kiribati has "taken the approach of keeping its cards pretty close" and was not divulging details "that might impact the way those relationships are trending", he said. The election will decide 44 of the 45 seats in parliament but not the Kiribati presidency, which is due to be resolved in October. A public vote will be held to choose the leader from three or four candidates selected from among those elected. The incumbent, Taneti Maamau, who has been in office since 2016, is expected to seek another term as leader if returned to his seat. The increased cost of living, scarce medicine supplies and fuel shortages are expected to be central issues for voters. Analysts say voters are likely to reward the incumbent government for the introduction of universal unemployment benefits and increased subsidies for copra, or dried coconut flesh. Political parties are loose groups in Kiribati, and MPs do not confirm their allegiance until elected to office. There are 115 candidates contesting the election, including 18 women.