Transcript
Online music videos are among China's promotional tools for the network of roads, railways, ports and cables which are part of its grand Belt and Road Initiative.
Chinese president Xi Jin Ping announced the plan five years ago to connect four billion people in 65 countries across three continents.
Belt and Road expert Professor Wang Yi Wei has been in Fiji to explain China's thinking.
"Firstly to benefit the locals, lift poverty. The other reason is climate change, the need for infrastructure building. The most important need is mutual connectivity. If (it's a) single country, (it's a) very small market, but mutually connected they're a big market. It's like the European Union."
Professor Wang told scholars and students at the University of the South Pacific the plan is based on the win-win principle - everyone benefiting including the Chinese companies involved
He says they are thinking long-term, helping to lift countries out of poverty and to create a new middle class.
"So everything according to the local needs, negotiated with the government and also talking to the NGOs and other companies, according to the international standard."
Fijian economist Neelesh Gounder says Fiji has already signed up to the Pacific prong of the Silk Road strategy.
He says new roads and bridges already being built by China are included in the plan which will bring opportunities but also challenges for Pacific nations.
"At the moment it's not very clear what type of funding is available for Pacific island countries under this initiative, whether it's grants, concessional loans, whether it's a combination of grants and concessional loans. And (if) it is concessional loans will it be less concessional than the Pacific's other main sources of loans? We already know countries such as Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu have ongoing challenges regarding debt repayments."
Sri Lanka's Hambantota port is often cited as an example of what can go wrong with the Belt and Road Initiative.
China has a 99 year lease on the port as debt relief.
Neelesh Gounder says that raises questions for several Pacific countries already in debt to China.
"The basic question remains. How will foreign investment be secured? Because we have seen previously for example in Sri Lanka the debt equity swap and the possibility of that remains anywhere in the world."
Professor Wang dismisses fears that Chinese-built infrastructure projects are tying countries into debt.
"[If] you borrow chickens from China, it's not asking you to cook this chicken in the soup and then consume it and then you owe debt to China. We ask that giving chickens to you is like the chicken have eggs and then eggs have more chickens and chickens have more eggs and then in the future the eggs pay back the debts no problem."
The academic suggests a change in thinking is necessary.
"China will always think about the long-term. I think those countries, South Pacific and others, also should think about the long-term because infrastructure is for long-term economic growth - more jobs for them."
Professor Wang dismisses concerns that military objectives, or a hunt for access to resources, are behind the Belt and Road initiative.
"Let me make clear again: firstly the Belt and Road Initiative is economic cooperation. Second the projects is in other countries. It's not Chinese projects. What kind of use for them? It depends on the local governments - their needs, their purpose. China is very efficient in building the projects and we have technology, technicians and money."
But Neelesh Gounder says concerns remain around environmental impacts and the use of foreign labour for Belt and Road projects.
To this Professor Wang responds that projects would all be tailored to local needs and done according to international standards.
