New Caledonia leader calls for France to grant independence vote to counter China's 'omnipresence' in Pacific

Pro-independence parties boycotted last year's referendum on a split from France, arguing Covid made campaigning too difficult A prominent New Caledonian indigenous party has said that if France wants to have an economic and political stake in the Pacific - as China's influence in the region rises to "omnipresence" - it needs to grant New Caledonia a fourth referendum on independence and treat the Pacific island as a partner, rather than a colony. The calls come after a contentious referendum on...