Fiji’s visa-free policy and the increase in direct flights from China have significantly boosted its appeal, leading to a surge in Chinese visitors and a vibrant tourism boom.
According to data from the Fiji Tourism Bureau, as of the first quarter of 2024, the number of visitors to Fiji has increased eleven percent compared to the same period in 2023 – of which 77 percent are tourists. Australia, New Zealand and China remain its main tourist source countries.
"Fiji has good air quality, mesmerizing coral reefs and activities like sea fishing and underwater diving. These are what attract me the most," said Xu Yuhan, a Chinese tourist.
Currently, the island nation is experiencing an increase in visitors due to favorable policies that have attracted the attention of Chinese travelers.
"Fiji was among the first destinations when China resumed outbound group tours in 2023. With the increase in direct flights between China and Fiji, the number of Chinese tourists in Fiji and other Pacific Island nations has doubled in 2024, so far," said Liu Jie, assistant to the president of tour company CYTS Aoyou Technology Development.
Liu said the relaxation of visa policies has also unleashed the potential of Chinese tourism.
"Fiji’s visa-free policy allows Chinese visitors to start a trip at any time. With its unique culture and well-equipped hotels, Fiji is a destination for high-end tourism," she added.
Fiji’s visa-free policy attracts Chinese tourists, sparking to tourism boom
The universal "reciprocal tariffs" imposed by the United States signals a decline in the U.S. economic dominance and dollar hegemony, as the country is attempting to extract excessive financial benefits from its trading partners, according to economists, who warn the Trump administration is playing a "dangerous game".
U.S. President Donald Trump last week signed an executive order on the so-called "reciprocal tariffs," imposing a 10-percent "minimum baseline tariff" before unveiling higher rates on certain trading partners. The policy sent shockwaves throughout the global economy and triggered panic on financial markets, with analysts warning of significant risks and dire economic consequences.
In an interview with the China Global Television Network (CGTN), Hong Hao, chief economist of the GROW Investment Group, a Shanghai-based hedge fund, said the tariffs reflect Trump's strategy to extract economic benefits from trading partners, particularly viewing China as a significant competitor. "Trump really believes that the trade terms with the trading partners have been unfair to the U.S., and as a result, the U.S. manufacturing sector has been hollowed out. Therefore, the U.S. is paying an excessive price for globalization, and now, it's time to pay back. I think, from this angle, he is trying to extract economic rent from its trading partners, and also he is trying to see China as one of the major U.S. rivals at this juncture. So, I think, as a result, he is playing a very dangerous game. And, as you can see, it's political theater in the sense that he is trying to dramatize the extreme pressure, so that he can get excessive rent from the opponent," he said
Trump's unilateral imposition of tariffs has eroded global confidence in the U.S. and its dollar's status, leading many to state that the American hegemony may not persist, according to Josef Gregory Mahoney, a professor of politics and international relations at East China Normal University.
"The U.S. economy is at an inflection point. There is a moment where the previous strategies being used to sustain American hegemony were no longer working. And, it's only a matter of time before the U.S. position erodes, given the fact that it's been a house of cards built on the dollar supremacy. And a lot of people don't see that as having a brighter future. This has moved past the theater stage and has moved really directly into one in which no one really has confidence in the U.S. anymore. No one has confidence in the dollar. No one has confidence in the U.S. being committed to the multilateral system, to global trade and so forth and so on," he said.
Trump playing "dangerous game" as tariff measures signal decline in U.S. dollar hegemony: economists
