China-New Zealand-Cook Islands Triangular Aid Project on Water Supply

Recently, the Pacific region seems to be a testing place for China’s growing triangular aid cooperation. The China–New Zealand–Cook Islands triangular project on water supply (Te Mato Vai) is an interesting case study as it claims to be China’s first triangular aid project with traditional donors. Based on my fieldwork research, this In Brief aims to provide a succinct summary of this project and some early observations to inform future triangular cooperation.AusAI

Growing Academic Interest in the Pacific — Pacific Research Centres in China

China’s diplomatic activities in the Pacific, which include President Xi Jinping’s visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in November 2018 and the third China–Pacific Islands Countries (PICs) Economic Development and Cooperation Forum held in Samoa in October 2019, have received substantial attention in Australia. In stark contrast, China’s fast-growing academic interest in the Pacific is scarcely discussed. This In Brief introduces the main Pacific research centres in China and offers a new angle to understand China’s diplomacy towards the region.AusAI

China-Australia-Papua New Guinea Trilateral Aid Cooperation on Malaria Control

Australia is the largest bilateral donor to Papua New Guinea (PNG). China became a top donor to PNG in 2014, behind Australia and the Asian Development Bank. Amid the growing interest in China’s presence in PNG and the South Pacific at large, as well as the implications for the traditional aid regime, China and Australia are working on a trilateral aid cooperation project on malaria control in PNG. This trilateral aid project is one of three case studies for my PhD program on China’s growing trilateral aid cooperation. Based on my fieldwork in Port Moresby in November 2014, this paper will provide a brief introduction to the project, suggest motivations for the three countries involved, outline prospects for future trilateral cooperation, and discuss the implications for development policymakers.AusAI

Growing Chinese Trilateral Aid Cooperation

The rapid growth of Chinese foreign aid has become prominent in the past decade. The literature and research on this aid and its impact on the international aid regime is growing, but research on trilateral aid cooperation remains limited. This In Brief provides an overview of trilateral aid cooperation, the scope of Chinese cooperation, its benefits and limitations, and possible motivations behind its expansion.AusAI

China's Growing Interest in Deep Sea Mining in the Pacific

China’s growing engagement with the Pacific region has attracted policy and academic attention in the past decade. Its involvement in deep sea mining in the region is an exception and remains poorly understood. Drawing upon public reports from Chinese government agencies and media, this In Brief provides an account of China’s latest engagement with Pacific island countries on deep sea mining.AusAI

China-United States-Timor-Leste Trilateral Aid Cooperation Project on Agriculture

China's trilateral aid cooperation has been growing in recent years along with its overseas development assistance program. As the largest emerging donor, China's trilateral aid cooperation with the United States (US), the leading traditional donor, and Timor-Leste presents an interesting example to examine this new model of aid delivery in the changing international aid landscape. This trilateral project, together with the China– Australia–Papua New Guinea trilateral project on malaria control, and the China–United Nations Development Programme–Cambodia trilateral project on cassava, make up the three case studies for my PhD program on Chinese trilateral aid cooperation. It is the first trilateral aid cooperation between China and the US in Timor-Leste and in the Asia–Pacific region. This paper summarises some research findings arising from my fieldwork in Dili from January to February 2015.AusAI

Assessing China's Climate Change Aid to the Pacific

Climate change is the single greatest challenge faced by Pacific Island countries (PICs) (PIF Secretariat 2018:10). Unsurprisingly, the battle against climate change has been placed at the heart of PICs’ national policies. As Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Dame Meg Taylor stated, ‘the highest priority for our region is climate change mitigation and adaptation’. Climate change has become a thorny issue in Australia-Pacific relations as PICs accuse their largest donor of falling short of the region’s expectations on addressing climate change. In contrast, the Pacific’s second largest donor — China — has seemingly been under less pressure, although it remains the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Given these circumstances, this In Brief discusses China’s climate change aid to the Pacific and highlights that China’s various forms of commitments are set to continue, although they are not the highest priority for the government.AusAI

China, India and Japan in the Pacific: Latest Developments, Motivations and Impact

This paper will examine 3 questions 1) what are the latest engagements of China, Japan and India with the Pacific region? 2) What are their motives? 3) How have they impacted the region? The time frame of this research is between 2006 and 2017, a period that witnessed substantial engagement of the three countries with the region, but with these new developments being inadequately captured by the literature. The analysis covers all 14 Pacific Island countries (PICs). It builds upon the author’s 16 years work and research in the region and more than 120 interviews with government officials, diplomats, scholars, company representatives, media and civil societies during his doctoral research. The paper also refers to an extensive review of scholarly works and public government reports.AusAI

Chinese Concessional Loans: Part 1 - Perceptions and Misperceptions

Concessional loans account for more than half of Chinese foreign aid (China State Council 2014) and are currently in the spotlight. The Trump Administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy targets infrastructure projects funded by Chinese concessional loans in developing countries and pledges to compete with China by providing high-standard infrastructure that is ‘physically secure, financially viable and socially responsible’ (Pompeo 2018). On the eve of the Forty-ninth Pacific Islands Forum, Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva intended to urge Pacific nations to band together and press Beijing to forgive debts associated with Chinese concessional loans, although he backed down at the last minute. Chinese loan schemes have also sparked intense debates on debt risks and the Belt and Road Initiative. Against this backdrop, the nature and ramifications of Chinese loans schemes are examined in this two‑part series. Part 1 outlines the nature of Chinese concessional loan schemes and identifies three common misperceptions. Part 2 investigates Pacific indebtedness: the possibility of debt-forequity deals.AusAI

China’s Coronavirus ‘COVID-19 Diplomacy’ in the Pacific

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is spreading to Pacific Island countries (PICs), posing a severe threat to their economies and human security. Donors are aiding the region. For example, the United States has provided over US$32 million to PICs. Australia announced AU$10.5 million as budget support to Fiji. The challenges created by the pandemic provide an opportunity for traditional and new players to compete for influence. This paper briefly examines China’s ‘COVID-19 diplomacy’ as it is the largest new player in the region and argues that the pandemic may have geopolitical consequences.AusAI