China increasing its presence in Pacific Island countries

A senior Chinese official says his country’s growing ties with Pacific countries including Papua New Guinea are about driving prosperity for “one blue Pacific community”.

Zhao Hongtao, deputy director of North America, Oceania and European affairs in the international department of China’s Central Committee, said China’s growing interest in the region had nothing to do with “superpower competition or exploitation”.

Geopolitical tension between China and the US has cast a shadow over the Pacific region, where China has been accelerating its bilateral and development ties, including the Belt and Road Initiative.

"We are old friends to Pacific island countries,” Mr Zhao said.

“We have been in the Pacific island countries for a long time. We really have no intention to start a strategic competition.

Infrastructure Projects under the Belt and Road initiative are the Independence Boulevard a six lane highway, the International Convention Center, Poreporena freeway in Port Moresby and the Tari airport in Hela Province.