China and the Pacific: The View from Oceania.

• Author: To, James
• Position: Book review

CHINA AND THE PACIFIC: The View from Oceania

Editor: Michael Powles

Published by: Victoria University Press, Wellington, 2016, 248pp, $40.

Over the past twenty years, Chinas diplomatic and economic outreach into the Pacific has evolved from providing financial and infrastructural aid to a much broader strategic pronouncement of influence that encompasses geopolitical, commercial, cultural and military aspirations. Much of the existing scholarship and assessments concerning these developments have previously revolved around a somewhat alarmist narrative, peppered with suspicions over the motivations behind Chinas growing presence in the region --whether it be rivalry with Taiwan for official recognition, a post-Cold War struggle with the United States as the pre-eminent power in the Asia-Pacific region or as a key pillar of its long-term maritime navigation, defence and security strategy.

Over the last decade or two Beijing's push into the region has been accompanied by waves of new migrants, who carry with them distinct value and behavioural sets that have raised concerns and tensions with local populations and authorities --quite a different story to the long history of well-established ethnic Chinese sojourners who had settled, intermarried and integrated into the Pacific social fabric since the early 1900s.

China and the Pacific: The View from Oceania is the product of a conference convened in late February 2015 at the National University of Samoa, drawing together contributions from more than 40 international academics, diplomats, politicians, experts and officials to address these issues in a very inclusive environment. In addition to Chinese and regional discussants, Pacific voices were given the limelight, ensuring that their messages and viewpoints were clearly conveyed to Beijing, Canberra and Wellington.

The resulting publication is a comprehensive compilation of presentations (with themes ranging from geopolitics, security, development co-operation, trade and investment to the Chinese diaspora) analysing the benefits and challenges of accommodating and managing China's presence in Oceania, and identifying areas for further policy development and implementation.

Right from the outset this book actively steers the topic away from the threat discourse towards a more positive tone of engagement. While there are real concerns and caution about China's role, it is nevertheless potentially constructive. After all, in the eyes of Pacific...