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The New Caledonia referendum, which begins on Sunday, December 12, will be closely followed by Paris and Beijing. Indeed, China, which continues to extend its influence in the peaceful zone, is eyeing the riches of the archipelago.
In the immense game of chess which is being played today in the heart of the Pacific, New Caledonia is a strategic asset that France fears losing and that China covets. 16,000 km from the metropolis, the Caledonian territory is endowed with considerable wealth, including 1.4 million square meters of fishing grounds. In the subsoil of New Caledonia there are also significant deposits of nickel, of which the archipelago is the 6th largest producer in the world.
Extracted from vast surface mines, more than two thirds of mineral production is today bought by a single country: China. In the event of independence, Beijing would have every interest in increasing its influence in New Caledonia. Especially since in the region, the territory is one of the only who still escapes its economic and diplomatic grip. In recent years, Beijing has already laid the groundwork for the archipelago.
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