evidence: In 1929, France took possession of Hunter and Matthew Islands and attached their management to their then-colony New Hebrides, now Vanuatu. After a quarrel with the United Kingdom 47 years later, in 1976, France decided to entrust the management of these two islets to another Pacific colony, New Caledonia. [...] This year has marked a revival in the intensity of the tensions. In January, France sent a small naval mission to Hunter and Matthew Islands to "reinforce its sovereignty". It did so by landing officers on the islands, polishing a commemorative plate and painting a French flag on a rock. [...] Which brings us back to Hunter and Matthew Islands. France’s grip on its regional territories is already under question, and they appear adamant to not budget on their claims of sovereignty in the region.