China and traditional regional powers, such as the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, are jockeying for influence in the Pacific. There are signs that China is now recalibrating its strategy in response to the newly energised competition, which itself was largely triggered by China’s growing activities in the region. In the past, China’s … more
Chinese companies have been at the forefront of China’s rapidly expanding footprint in the Global South in the past two decades. In their engagement with Chinese companies, some local officials and communities in Asia, Africa and the Pacific marvel at the speed of construction by Chinese companies. This so-called“China speed”, largely achieved through efficient management … more
China has become one of the major donors in the Pacific region. Pacific Island Countries (PICs), while grappling with the economic hardships exacerbated by COVID, can make the most of Chinese aid in the fight against the pandemic, the Belt and Road, the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and humanitarian assistance. They can also look … more
In January, the Chinese government released its third white paper on foreign aid, entitled “China’s International Development Cooperation in the New Era”. It is worth taking a closer look at the Chinese-language original, which is more detailed in content than the English-language version, to see what has changed in some aspects of China’s foreign aid … more
Foreign aid has long been used by the Chinese government as a diplomatic tool to expand its influence in developing countries. Despite its impressive growth in the past two decades, Chinese aid faces challenges that limit its impact. China faces the dilemma of needing to consolidate its relations with developing countries by providing more aid … more
