'Playing loose with the truth': Fact-checking key in Pacific's heightened geopolitical landscape

The intensification of geopolitics between China and the United States is fueling existing xenophobic rhetoric, an expert in Pacific geopolitics says.

This follows the Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's recent visit to Aotearoa from 18-19 October, during which he met with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and attended a Fiji Day celebration in Mangere.

In pictures shared by Rabuka's team from the event on Saturday, he was seen with Kiwi-Asian men who were part of his security detail.

However, a well-known Pacific journalist shared those photos on The Pacific Newsroom Facebook page, claiming that Rabuka was escorted by what "appear(ed) to be private Chinese security".

"Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka showed up in New Zealand with an unusual collection of what appear to be private Chinese security," wrote Michael Field, the New Zealand based editor of the page, on Sunday.

"As they [Kiwi-Asian men] feature in many photos, several of them were very close throughout his visit to Māngere.

"Surely Rabuka is not going to insult Samoa by showing up for CHOGM [Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting] with these same Praetorian Guards."

His post attracted comments such as, "this is so wrong", "what's wrong about Rabuka having the kung fu and karate boys", and "Pictures don't lie", from some followers.

Other commenters questioned Field's intent in making the post, with one stating, "You seem to be making a mockery of the PM. Go and ask the NZ Govt who choose the security detail for him. Your post is very childish in many ways."

As of Tuesday, Field has turned off commenting on his post, but it remains online to The Pacific Newsroom's 72,000 followers.

A veteran senior journalist in Fiji also took to social media to question the identity of the security officers.

"In a video, three Asians are seen providing close protection security for the PM beside his own personal protection officer from Fiji and New Zealand policeman. Who were these Asians? They have a red pin on their jackets and the ID card is visible on one of them," wrote Anish Chand.

"If they are NZ Police, then it's pure conincidence that three officers with an Asian background were assigned to protect our PM. If they were not Police, who were they?"

However, the New Zealand Police and the Fiji High Commissioner to New Zealand have confirmed to RNZ Pacific that the security team was provided by Aotearoa, not China.

"Typically NZ Police does not comment on security matters, however we can confirm the man pictured is a serving officer in NZ Police's Dignitary Protection Service (DPS), which provided support for the Fiji Prime Minister's visit," a police spokesperson told RNZ Pacific.

The Fiji High Commission in New Zealand released a statement on Monday saying: "It's unfortunate that certain members of the media have resorted to racist tropes in reference to the pictures of two New Zealanders who were members of the security detail.

"The two gentlemen in question were part of a bigger team that drew its membership from the cross-section of New Zealand society."

RNZ Pacific has contacted Field and Chand for comment.

'Geopolitical environment plays a role'

Massey University's Defence and Security Studies Centre associate professor, Dr Anna Powles, said there is increasing divisiveness on social media and a need for fact-checking.

"It's incredibly telling that the Fiji High Commission in Wellington released a statement since, thanking the New Zealand government for having provided security for prime minister Rabuka, she said.

It is fairly unprecedented to have to do that, Dr Powles said.

"What we are seeing is increasing divisiveness through social media commentary, through that type of disinformation and misinformation which spreads like wildfire on social media," Powles added.

"And without a doubt this heightened, geopolitical environment certainly plays a role here."

She has called on both media and academics to make sure they fact-check before printing, broadcasting, or posting to their audiences.

"Because the stakes are pretty high, actually, and social media is notorious for playing fast and loose with the truth."