Rising Chinese influence in the South Pacific: Beijing's "island fever"

Asian Survey

Volumn 47, Issue 2, 2007, Pages 307-326

  Shie, Tamara Renee ^a,b  

^a NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b Pacific Forum CSIS   (United States)

Author keywords

China; Island; Soft power; South Pacific; Taiwan

Indexed keywords

GEOPOLITICS; GLOBAL ECONOMY; INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; REGIONAL ECONOMY; REGIONAL POLITICS;

ASIA; BEIJING [CHINA]; CHINA; EURASIA; FAR EAST; PACIFIC OCEAN; PACIFIC OCEAN (SOUTH);

EID: 34548396864     PISSN: 00044687     EISSN: 1533838X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1525/as.2007.47.2.307     Document Type: Article

References (61)

1. Joshua Kurlantzick, "China's Charm: Implications of Chinese Soft Power," Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Policy Brief. no. 47 (June 2006), p. 2.
2. For articles on Chinese activities in other regions, see R. Evan Ellis, "U.S. National Security Implications of Chinese Involvement in Latin America," Strategic Studies Institute, June 2005,
3. Kerry Dumbaugh and Mark P. Sullivan, "China's Growing Interest in Latin America," Congressional Research Service Report for Congress RS22119 April 20, 2005,
4. Eric Teo Chu Cheow, "China's Emerging Role in the Middle East," PacNet Newsletter, no. 7, February 23, 2006,
5. Chris Alden, "China in Africa," Survival 47:3 (2005), pp. 147-64;
6. Phillip Liu, "Cross-Strait Scramble for Africa: A Hidden Agenda in China-Africa Cooperation Forum," Harvard Asia Quarterly 5:2 (Spring 2001),
7. Joshua Eisenman and Joshua Kurlantzick, "China's Africa Strategy," Current History 105:691 (May 2006), pp. 219-24;
8. Howard W. French, "China Moves toward Another West: Central Asia," New York Times, March 28, 2004, p. 1;
9. Jeremy Bransten, "Central Asia: China's Mounting Influence, Part 1: An Overview," Radio Free Europe, November 18, 2004,
10. Dan Erikson, "China in the Caribbean: A Benign Dragon?" Focal Point 4:4 (April 2005),
11. for a succinct analysis of the parallels in Chinese activities across several regions, see Phillip C. Saunders, "China's Global Activism: Strategy, Drivers, and Tools," Institute for National Strategic Studies, Occasional Paper, no. 4 (Washington, D.C.: National Defense University Press, June 2006).
12. Note: All dollar figures in this paper are in U.S. dollars.
13. The PIF is a regional organization for the independent countries of the South Pacific, comprising member states Australia, the Cook Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. The Forum's website is at . The Secretariat is based in Suva, Fiji. This paper does not cover territories in the South Pacific such as the French territories of Wallis and Futuna, French Polynesia, and New Caledonia.
14. Although Niue is often listed as having established formal diplomatic relations with the PRC, it has only approached New Zealand to express its interest in doing so. As of 2006, Niue does not have the adequate resources to make this possible. However, its government has established a technical relationship with China and no relationship with Taiwan. Personal communication with the Niue high commissioner in New Zealand, January 11, 2006.
15. Bertil Lintner, "A New Battle for the Pacific," Far Eastern Economic Review, August 5, 2004, p. 30.
16. International Monetary Fund, Direction of Trade Statistics Yearbook 2005 (Washington, D.C.: International Monetary Fund, 2005).
17. "Papua New Guinea-China Nickel Deal Formally Signed," Port Moresby Courier, February 10, 2004, .
18. Pesi Fonua, "Shoreline Looks for Cheaper Fuel Supply for Tonga Power," Matangi Tonga Online, February 7, 2005,
19. The text of Wen's speech "Win-win Cooperation for Common Development" is available at .
20. "China Funds Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat IT Upgrade," Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat website, March 31, 2003
21. "Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Says PRC's Support Will Help Governance," Beijing Xinhua (in English), November 22, 2004.
22. "Cooks' Henry on Bilateral Trade Pact Signed with China," Rarotonga Cook Islands News (in English), December 5, 1998.
23. "Pacific Forum Leader Urwin: China's Role Welcomed," Beijing Xinhua, August 10, 2004.
24. "Vanuatu Deputy PM Thanks 'True Friend' China for Financial Help," Port Villa Vanuatu Trading Post (in English), August 30, 2001, p. 5.
25. "China Insists No Strings to Cook Islands Courthouse Funding," Melbourne Radio Australia, November 17, 2004.
26. "PNG Prime Minister Defends Foreign Affairs Building Project by China," Port Moresby Post Courier, , September 21, 2000.
27. "Kiribati Candidate Warns President May 'Buy Votes' with Chinese Aid," Wellington Radio New Zealand International, January 9, 2003.
28. "Australia, New Zealand Warned of Chinese Influence in Tonga, Pacific," Melbourne Radio Australia, June 18, 2004.
29. Kalinga Seneviratne, "Islanders Welcome Chinese Cash, but Not Chinese," Asia Times Online, September 17, 2002,
30. John Henderson and Benjamin Reilly, "Dragon in Paradise: China's Rising Star in Oceania," National Interest 72 (Summer2003), pp. 98-99;
31. "MPCalls forGovemmentto Regulate Number of Chinese Workers in Tonga," Wellington Radio New Zealand International, July 19,2002;
32. "MP Urges Limit on Number of Chinese Allowed Tonga Residency," Wellington Radio New Zealand International, October 18, 2004;
33. "Samoan MP Hits Out at Growing Chinese Influence," Hong Kong Agence France-Presse, January 21, 2005;
34. "Chinese Envoy Protests Crime against Nationals in PNG," Port Moresby Post Courier, , September 11, 2002.
35. Cheng Siwei, "Bright Prospects for China-Latin America and the Caribbean Cooperation," speech at the Organization of American States, December 6, 2005, .
36. Of the 33 countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean, 12 countries have diplomatic ties with Taiwan as of mid-2006: Dominican Republic, Haiti, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Paraguay.
37. "Solomon Islands Opposition Parties Back One-China Principle," Honiara Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, March 31, 2005.
38. Graham Norris, "Pawns in the Game: Pacific Becoming Key Battleground between Taiwan and China," Pacific Magazine, May 2004, .
39. John Henderson, "China, Taiwan, and the Changing Strategic Significance of Oceania," La Revue Juridique Polynesienne [Polynesian Judicial Review], 2001, , p. 151.
40. Henderson and Reilly, "Dragon in Paradise," pp. 94-104.
41. Liu Shinan, "One-China' Essential to Ties with PIF Nations," China Daily, August 11, 2004, .
42. "Chinese Envoy Warns on Taiwan Bid to Join Pacific Tourism Body," Port Moresby Post Courier, , October 18, 2005;
43. "South Pacific Tourism Body Rejects Taiwanese Application," Port Moresby National, , October 24, 2005.
44. Wen Jiabao, "Win-Win Cooperation for Common Development," speech in Fiji, April 5 2006, .
45. "China Boosts Funding for Vanuatu, Seeks Support at UN," Port Vila Vanuatu Presse website (in English), , May 11, 2005.
46. CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets, "Chinese Tourists: Coming, Ready or Not!" special report, September 2005, available at .
47. Although Tahiti is part of French Polynesia and not a member of the PIF, China's interest represents another footprint in the region.
48. "Australia Opens Travel to Entire China Market," SinoCast China Business Daily News, October 26, 2005, p. 1,
49. James Brooke, "In Pacific, a Red Carpet for China's Rich Tourists," New York Times, May 13, 2004, p. W1.
50. "Sino-Kiribati Diplomatic Dispute Won't Hurt Space Mission," People's Daily Online, December 1, 2003, .
51. Ron Crocombe, The Pacific Islands and the USA (Honolulu: East West Center, Pacific Islands Development Program, 1995), pp. 329-62.
52. This concept of soft power comes from Joseph Nye's 1990 essay "Soft Power," Foreign Policy 80 (Fall 1990), pp. 153-71.
53. See Joshua Kurlantzick, "The Decline of American Soft Power," Current History 104:686 (December 2005), pp. 419-24;
54. and Joseph S. Nye, Jr., "The Decline of America's Soft Power," Foreign Affairs 83:3 (May/June 2004), pp. 16-20.
55. U.S. representation in Kiribati, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu is accredited to embassies located in other countries. Only 11 U.S. diplomatic missions with accreditation to more than one country exist, and five of them are in the South Pacific.
56. The Solomon Islands virtual embassy opened May 3, 2005, and can be found online at . The U.S. has maintained a consular agent in Honiara since the closure of the physical embassy. The Vanuatu virtual embassy opened July 19, 2005, and can be found at .
57. In 1994 the U.S. had Peace Corps volunteers in 13 of the 14 South Pacific countries (excluding Nauru). Operations in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu were closed because of budgetary constraints, while the Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Niue missions were closed because of safety/security concerns. The Peace Corps closed its mission in Fiji in 1998 but reopened it in 2004. Information provided by Peace Corps headquarters, March 15, 2006.
58. The reporting officer indicated that Washington decided to close the South Pacific development office "unilaterally," that is, announcing the closure of the office without informing or consulting the mission, which had less than one fiscal year to close out. See USAID, USAID/RDO/SP Close-Out Summary Report, vol. 1, September 9, 1994.
59. Personal email communication with USAID official, March 13, 2006.
60. The U.K. closed its diplomatic posts in Kiribati and Vanuatu in 2005 and Tonga in March 2006 and withdrew from the Pacific Community on January 1, 2005.
61. See the Internet Guide to International Fisheries Law, .