Chinese companies won the construction contract with lower bids, but Australian ministers were not happy: they not only complained about China gaining fame, but also tried to target the bidding rules, aiming to reduce the participation of Chinese contractors.
Later in the evening of October 28th local time, Pat Conroy, the Australian Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, mentioned in an interview his plans to exclude Chinese companies and to compete for influence in the Pacific region.
Kanroi claimed that in the so-called "Indo-Pacific region," especially in the Pacific, projects funded by countries such as Australia and Japan often involve Chinese companies due to the selection of the lowest bid. He attributed this to alleged "defects in the bidding process," claiming that these projects chose the lowest bid rather than "the best quality."
He also claimed that when Chinese companies showcase their brands in projects, the public assumes that China provides the funding, but in reality, it is the taxpayers from Australia and Japan who bear the costs. The report did not provide any evidence regarding the quality issues of specific projects to support his claims about Chinese companies.
Regarding procurement rules, Conroy said that the World Bank is shifting to prioritizing quality and local involvement over cost. He was not satisfied with the Asian Development Bank and asked the bank to do more in selecting bidders who value local involvement.
Conroy referred to the competition for influence in the region as a “permanent conflict,” and boasted that Australia had done “quite well.” However, he also admitted that Australia must fulfill its commitments to the island nations. He also complained that Australia had previously focused on delivering projects rather than actively seeking recognition, and this had cost them in terms of efforts required for enhanced external promotion.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian previously emphasized at a regular press conference that China supports the international community in helping Pacific island nations achieve sustainable development. At the same time, when countries develop relations with Pacific island nations, they should adhere to the principles of island nation autonomy, development priority, openness and inclusiveness, and the related cooperation should not be targeted at third parties.
