Chinese aid to Pacific island countries (PICs) has received increasing attention from academic and policy circles in Australia in recent years. But is the Pacific unique in China’s aid program? While the region is not comparable to Africa and Asia, which are the priorities in China’s diplomacy towards the developing world, are there similar patterns in Chinese aid to the Pacific and the Caribbean, both of which comprise island countries?

By providing a comparative analysis of these two island regions, we aim to further our understanding of Chinese aid in the Pacific and shed light on the current debates on Chinese aid. Drawing upon our research and the literature, we focus on Chinese aid modalities, motives and impact.