CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- ABOUT THE AUTHORS -- Part One China and Taiwan's South Pacific Rivalry -- Chapter 1 THE SOUTH PACIFIC: CHINA'S NEW FRONTIER -- Treasure islands -- Pearls of the Pacific -- The spying game -- References -- Chapter 2 THE SOFTWARE OF CHINA-PACIFIC ISLAND RELATIONS -- Constraints from the past -- 1. Religion: Caution rather than conflict -- 2. Language: A barrier in need of overcoming -- 3. The significance of Austronesian origins: A plus for Taiwan, a minus for China -- Communicating the future -- 4. Media interactions: In need of fine tuning -- 5. Education: Improving from a nil base -- 6. Social relations: Some accommodation, some tension -- 7. Travel and tourism: The need to ensure the potentials are kept positive -- 8. Values: Areas of congruence and divergence -- Political relations -- 9a. Elite communication-Who visits who, who pays, and forms of reciprocity -- 9b. Ideas about governance -- 10. Asia-Pacific regionalism-Growing Chinese participation -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 3 SINO-PACIFICA: EXTRA-TERRITORIAL INFLUENCE AND THE OVERSEAS CHINESE -- Introduction -- Ethnic Chinese in the Pacific -- Immigration in the Pacific -- "Going Out"-exporting China to the world -- Passport sales -- Chinese transnational crime -- Illegal migration -- Passing the buck: Moving responsibility for OC migrants from China -- Beijing's views on migration -- Managing ethnic tensions -- "Unqualified" Chinese -- Upgrading the migrant -- Rivalry in the Pacific -- Qiaowu for the Pacific OC -- The future of OC in the Pacific -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 4 CHINA: STUMBLING THROUGH THE PACIFIC? -- Introduction -- China's aid program: 2008 -- Drivers -- Resources -- Taiwan -- Trade -- Military -- Muscle flexing -- Votes -- Chinese diaspora -- Good international citizenship -- Playing the short-game -- Unpredictable aid.

Poorly designed aid -- Secretive aid -- Miscalculating in Fiji? -- Outlook and conclusion -- Recommendations -- ANNEXURE I: Chinese aid in the Pacific 2008 -- Cook Islands -- FSM -- Fiji 77 -- Niue -- PNG -- Samoa -- Tonga (For financial year 2008/2009) -- Vanuatu -- ANNEXURE II: Eight principles of the Chinese Government for economic and technical assistance to other countries -- ANNEXURE III: China-Pacific trade -- References -- Chapter 5 THE SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF CROSS-STRAIT COMPETITION IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC FROM A TAIWANESE PERSPECTIVE -- Introduction -- I. China's policy towards the South Pacific -- II. Taiwan's efforts in the South Pacific -- III. Future prospects and security implications for the region -- Conclusion -- References -- Part Two The Impact on Other Key Pacific Players -- Chapter 6 RISING CHINESE INFLUENCE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC: BEIJING'S ISLAND FEVER -- Introduction -- China's growing relationship with the region -- Regional responses -- China's motivations -- Conclusion - Waning US influence and policy implications -- References -- Chapter 7 BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINATOWN: AUSTRALIA, TAIWAN AND THE APRIL 2006 POST-ELECTION RIOT IN SOLOMON ISLANDS -- Introduction -- Australia, Taiwan, China and the South Pacific -- Taiwan and Solomon Islands crisis -- RAMSI -- Australia-Taiwan conflict -- The April 2006 elections -- The riot -- "Evidence of organised violence" -- Sogavare confronts Australia -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 8 NEW ZEALAND, THE PACIFIC AND CHINA: THE CHALLENGES AHEAD -- Introduction -- New Zealand-Pacific relations -- China's rise -- The Taiwan issue -- Pacific Island Forum states and PRC-ROC rivalry -- China's political interests in the Pacific -- China's strategic interests in the Pacific -- The US and China -- Japan -- Korea -- The EU -- China's economic interests in the Pacific.

China's aid to the Pacific -- Overseas Chinese -- How does China pursue its Pacific interests? -- Pacific Island interests -- Conclusion: The challenges ahead -- References -- Part Three Chinese Foreign Policy in the Pacific: Two Perspectives -- Chapter 9 CHINESE FOREIGN POLICY IN ASIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SOUTH PACIFIC -- China's Asia strategy -- Sources of Chinese power in Asia -- Economic power -- Military power -- "Soft power" -- China's reassurance campaign -- Assessment of China's Asia strategy -- China's interests in the South Pacific -- Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 10 THE SOUTH PACIFIC IN CHINA'S GRAND STRATEGY -- China's growing influence -- Concerns about Chinese involvement -- China's grand strategy -- China's security map -- China's grand strategy -- The South Pacific in China's grand strategy -- The South Pacific in China's national reunification strategy -- The South Pacific in China's national development strategy -- The South Pacific in China's national security strategy -- The South Pacific in China's strategic landscape -- Conclusion -- References -- INDEX.