How Chinese Financing Shapes the Pacific
One reason Pacific Island countries continue to borrow from China is their huge demand for infrastructure.
- Darshana M. Baruah,
- Satyendra Prasad,
- Denghua Zhang
Denghua Zhang is a research fellow at Australian National University’s Department of Pacific Affairs. His research article “China's Influence and Local Perceptions: The Case of Pacific Island Countries” won the Boyer Prize as the best article from the Australian Journal of International Affairs for 2022.
One reason Pacific Island countries continue to borrow from China is their huge demand for infrastructure.
In recent years, Beijing has emerged as a key economic and security player for Pacific island nations. At the same time, Pacific island states face a multitude of challenges, from the impact of climate change to rising great power competition.