The World Bank's vice president for East Asia and the Pacific says there is enough room for China and western countries in the Pacific.
Victoria Kwakwa Photo: AFP
Victoria Kwakwa was in New Zealand this week discussing the bank's partnership with that country on development projects in the region.
The Pacific Islands region is increasingly seen as a contested space for competing geopolitical interests.
Ms Kwakwa said the development challenges that Pacific countries face are enormous and there is room for more actors in this space.
"There is a lot of work to do and we have to find constructive ways of engaging in a meaningful way to the best interest of the countries.
"Using international standards whether it is procurement, whether it is preparing the projects, selecting them, environmental and social safeguards, transparency and debt issues. That is how we would like to work with China and with other partners to support development."
