Over the last two decades the Peoples Republic of China has become a major aid donor, trade partner, and source of investment in the Pacific Islands. This is one of the most significant developments in the region in recent times with implications for the diplomatic priorities of Pacific Islands states as well as the aspirations of ordinary Pacific Islanders. This course looks at the history of China’s rise, the nature of its interests in the region, as well as the response of more established external actors like Australia, New Zealand, and the United States to Beijing’s increased regional influence. This course will examine China’s changing role in the Pacific, with a focus on Pacific and Chinese perspectives. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the People’s Republic of China’s motivations for engaging with the Pacific, with a particular focus on Chinese state and non-state actors involved in aid, investment, migration and diplomacy in the Pacific.

Key questions include: how have Pacific Islands states benefitted from or been disadvantaged by China’s increased regional profile? Will they be able to retain their sovereignty as the rivalry between China and the US intensifies? How do ordinary citizens view these developments, particularly as Chinese companies and Chinese nationals become more active in their communities?

Topics covered under the course:

• Changing Geopolitics in the Pacific
• The Belt and Road is here: China’s economic engagement with the Pacific
• China Aid: Debt Traps, Win-Win and South-South Cooperation
• Chinese Migration to the Pacific and Diaspora Management
• The New Pacific Diplomacy: Island Responses to China’s Rise
• Stepping Up and Resetting: Traditional Powers Respond to China’s Pacific Rise

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Describe and discuss important aspects of China’s rise as a global power, and the nature of its activities in Oceania.
2. Discuss the impact of China’s increased profile on existing relations of power in the region, particularly traditional Western diplomatic partners like the US, Australia, and New Zealand
3. Analyse the institutional foundations underlying China’s aid, investment, migration and diplomacy in the Pacific.
4. Evaluate the implications of China’s rise for the present circumstances and future aspirations of ordinary Pacific islanders.

Research-Led Teaching

Over the last two decades the People’s Republic of China (hereafter ‘China’) has become a major aid donor, trade partner, and source of investment in the Pacific Islands. This is one of the most significant developments in the region in recent times with implications for Pacific Islands states and other development partners. This course looks at the history of China’s rise, its main interests, the diplomatic competition between China and Taiwan, as well as the response of traditional development partners like Australia, New Zealand, and the United States to Beijing’s increased regional influence. It will examine China’s changing role in the Pacific, with a focus on Pacific and Chinese perspectives. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of China’s motivations for engaging with the Pacific, with a particular focus on Chinese state and non-state actors involved in aid, investment, migration and diplomacy. Key questions include: how have Pacific Islands states benefitted from or been disadvantaged by China’s increased regional profile? Will they be able to retain their sovereignty as the rivalry between China and the US intensifies? How do ordinary citizens view these developments, particularly as Chinese companies and Chinese nationals become more active in their communities?

Field Trips

Not relevant

Additional Course Costs

Not relevant

Required Resources

Denghua Zhang (2017) China’s Diplomacy in the Pacific: Interests, Means and Implications. Security Challenges,13(2): 32-53.

Denghua Zhang (2020) A Cautious New Approach: China’s Growing Trilateral Aid Cooperation. Canberra: ANU Press. 

Graeme Smith and Terence Wesley-Smith (eds.) (2021) The China Alternative? Changing Geopolitics in the Pacific. Canberra: ANU Press.

Greg Fry (2019) Framing the Islands–Power and Diplomatic Agency in Pacific Regionalism. Canberra: ANU Press.

Sandra Tarte (2014) ‘Regionalism and Changing Regional Order in the Pacific Islands. Asia and the Pacific Policy Studies, 1(2):312-324.

Terence Wesley-Smith (2013) China’s Rise in Oceania: Issues and Perspectives. Pacific Affairs, 86(2): 351-372.

Recommended Resources

Peter Cai (2017) Understanding China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Lowy Institute.

William Callahan (2016) China’s “Asia Dream”: The Belt and Road Initiative and the New Regional Order. Asian Journal of Comparative Politics. 1-18.

Rohan Fox and Matthew Dornan (2018) China in the Pacific: Is China engaged in “debt-trap diplomacy”? Dev Policy Blog, 8 November.

Little Red Podcast (2019) Step Up Or Be Overrun: China’s Challenge for the Pacific. 5 March. https://omny.fm/shows/the-little-red-podcast/step-up-or-be-overrun-china-s-challenge-for-the-1

Little Red Podcast (2019) Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now? Inside the Solomon’s Big Switch. https://omny.fm/shows/the-little-red-podcast/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-now-inside-the-solomo

Ryan Manuel (2019) Twists in the Belt and Road. China Leadership Monitor. 1-17.

Jessica Marinaccio (2019) Rearticulating Diplomatic Relationships: Contextualizing Tuvalu-Taiwan Relations. The Contemporary Pacific. 31(2), 448-475.

Alice Miller (2018) Valedictory: Analyzing the Chinese Leadership in an Era of Sex, Money, and Power. China Leadership Monitor. 57. 1-17.

Graeme Smith (2013) Beijing’s orphans? New Chinese Investors in Papua New Guinea. Pacific Affairs. 86(2), 327-349.

Meg Taylor (2015) The Future of the Pacific Islands Forum and the Framework for Pacific Regionalism. In Greg Fry and Sandra Tarte (eds) The New Pacific Diplomacy. ANU Press. 

Anote Tong (2015) “Charting its Own Course”: A Paradigm Shift in Pacific Diplomacy. In Greg Fry and Sandra Tarte (eds) The New Pacific Diplomacy. ANU Press

Joseph Torigian (2018) Historical Legacies and Leaders’ Worldviews: Communist Party History and Xi’s Learned (And Unlearned) Lessons. China Perspectives. 1–2: 7–15.

Yu Changsen (2016) The Pacific Islands in China’s Geo-Strategic Thinking. In Michael Powles (ed) China and the Pacific: The View from Oceania. Victoria University Press.

Denghua Zhang and Graeme Smith (2017) China’s foreign aid system: structure, agencies, and identities. Third World Quarterly. 38(10): 2330-2346.

Denghua Zhang (2017) China’s Diplomacy in the Pacific: Interests, Means and Implications. Security Challenges. 13(2): 32-53.

Denghua Zhang (2019) Comparing China’s and Taiwan’s Aid to the Pacific. DPA In Brief 2019/20. ANU, Department of Pacific Affairs.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction: Changing Geopolitics in the Pacific
2	The Belt and Road is here: China’s economic engagement with the Pacific
3	China Aid: Debt Traps, Win-Win and South-South Cooperation
4	Chinese Migration to the Pacific and Diaspora Management
5	The New Pacific Diplomacy: Island Responses to China’s Rise
6	Stepping Up and Resetting: Traditional Powers Respond to China’s Pacific Rise

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Class attendance and participation	10 %	31/12/2021	1,2,3,4
Podcast script and episode	30 %	10/12/2021	1,2,3,4
Research Essay	60 %	19/12/2021	1,2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Examination(s)

1. Podcast script and episode
2. Research essay

Assessment Task 1

Class attendance and participation

Students will receive a grade based on their attendance and active participation in class discussions.

Assessment Task 2

Podcast script and episode

500 words. The script will be formulated based on a podcast interview with one or two authors from the readings. The interviewee can be chosen from the recommended or additional readings. A reference list should be included. The purpose of this exercise is to encourage you to think critically and develop a narrative to interrogate the writers’ work. While your focus is on the authors’ work, you should also demonstrate a broader understanding of the topic by drawing on other literature and audio resources. A few model scripts will be provided but are only a guide—you should develop your own style of questioning. Motivated students are encouraged to submit audio of a pilot episode (15 min max.), which can use the podcast script or be done as a separate interview. The episode is not assessable but is recommended for those interested in developing podcasting skills.

Due date: 10 December 2021

Assessment Task 3

Research Essay

2000 words (excluding references). Essay questions will be provided in the course outline. You are welcome to create your own essay question on any subject covered in The China Alternative, but the question must be emailed to and approved in writing by the course convenor. The reading lists provided under each lecture topic are intended to serve only as a starting point. It is particularly important to identify, and engage critically, with appropriate source materials. Do NOT accept without question the views and interpretations expressed in the readings. Use them as a means of developing your own understanding of the problem.

Each essay must include an essay question number and title. Pages should be numbered. The text must be in 12-point font, and lines must be 1.5 spaced.

The essay must be fully referenced and include a bibliography. Students should proof-read their essays carefully before submission as poor structuring, and minor and/or typographical errors distract readers from the substance of the argument. 

Due date: 19 December 2021

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students