中國加大對南太平洋國家援助

Australia is the biggest donor of foreign aid in the South Pacific but China is challenging its influence in a region it regards as its back yard, according to research by the Lowy Institute think-tank.

根據智庫洛伊研究所(Lowy Institute)的研究，澳大利亞仍是南太平洋地區的最大外援提供國，但中國正在澳大利亞視爲後院的地區挑戰澳大利亞的影響力。

Between 2006 and 2013 Australia provided $6.8bn in bilateral aid to the region, the US gave $1.7bn and China spent $1.4bn. But Beijing is now the biggest overseas backer of Fiji, providing $339.2m to the island nation in the same period while Australia gave $252.2m.

2006年至2013年間，澳大利亞向南太平洋地區提供了68億美元雙邊援助，美國提供了17億美元，中國提供了14億美元。但北京方面現在是斐濟最大的海外支持者，在上述期間向這個島國提供了3.392億美元，多於澳大利亞提供的2.522億美元。

Chinese grants and loans are helping to build roads, schools and other infrastructure in the eight countries with which it enjoys diplomatic relations in the region. Chinese companies are active and are backing the $1.6bn Ramu Nickel mine in Papua New Guinea.

在與中國建立了外交關係的8個南太平洋國家，中國的贈款和貸款正在幫助建造公路、學校和其他基礎設施。中國企業正在積極支持巴布亞新幾內亞耗資16億美元的Ramu鎳礦。

“In some specific countries in the Pacific, the amount of aid provided by China is rivalling that of Australia and other traditional partners,” says Philippa Brant, Lowy Institute researcher and author of the report.

“在某些特定的太平洋國家，中國提供的援助金額正在比肩澳大利亞和其他傳統合作夥伴，”洛伊研究所研究員、報告作者菲莉帕•布蘭特(Philippa Brant)表示。

“Perhaps one of the reasons the Pacific was quarantined from the cuts was to help maintain Australia’s dominance as a donor in the face of increasing engagement from China and other emerging donors.”

“對太平洋國家的援助之所以沒有減少，原因之一可能是，面對中國和其他新興援助國觸角越伸越長的情況，（澳大利亞希望這麼做能）幫忙保住澳大利亞作爲頭號援助國的地位。”

China does not publish a definitive list of aid projects, considering them a state secret. The Lowy Institute drew on 500 sources, including budgets, tender documents, and government statements, as well as interviews.

中國並不公佈確切的援助項目清單，將其視爲國家機密。洛伊研究所參考了500個信息來源，包括預算、招標文件、政府聲明以及採訪。