Report: China targets 2 diplomatic allies with Pacific aid
The Lowy Institute reports Beijing is targeting its Pacific aid to new diplomatic allies Solomon Islands and Kiribati while Chinese financial support across the region continues to decline
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Beijing was targeting its Pacific aid to new diplomatic allies Solomon Islands and Kiribati while Chinese financial support across the region continued to decline, the Lowy Institute reported Monday in its latest annual analysis of regional assistance.
China’s aid to the Pacific has fallen from a peak of $287 million in 2016 to $187 million in 2020 — the lowest level since 2008, when the Sydney-based international policy think tank began quantifying support for developing island nations in the Pacific.
At the same time, pandemic response measures drove Pacific aid to a record $4.25 billion in 2020, a 47% increase on the previous year, Lowy's Pacific Aid Map report showed.
Only 5% of Chinese aid to the Pacific was allocated to pandemic-related support, the report found.
