Report: China targets 2 diplomatic allies with Pacific aid

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — 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. China’s aid to the Pacific has fallen from a peak of $287 million in 2016 to $187 million in 2020. That’s the lowest level since 2008 when the Sydney-based international policy think tank began quantifying support for developing Pacific island nations. At the same time, pandemic response measures drove Pacific aid to a record-high $4.25 billion in 2020, a 47% increase over the previous year. Lowy researcher Alexandre Dayant says China is investing more into the Solomon Islands and Kiribati than Taiwan did. The two switched allegiances from Taiwan to mainland China in 2019.