Pacific Shift: Is China Becoming the New Climate Power Now?
Is China becoming the new climate power in the Pacific with its rising support for clean energy, resilience projects, and growing presence across small island states.
China’s climate push across the Pacific is getting harder to ignore. In recent months, Pacific governments and regional bodies have publicly welcomed Chinese funding tied to resilience work, even as geopolitical nerves stay high. One official signal came this week when the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme highlighted China’s ongoing support for climate resilience and environmental protection on its verified X handle.
China’s Climate Diplomacy is Expanding, But it’s Not Uncontested
Beijing is pairing climate language with visible, on-ground assistance, and that combination travels fast in small island politics. In 2025, China also told Pacific partners it would back “small but beautiful” projects and put money into clean energy and ocean-related work. Australia, New Zealand, the EU, and the US still fund major programmes, but China is working on the gaps, especially where speed and symbolism matter.
What “Climate Power” Looks like on Pacific Terms
For many islands, leadership means grants that arrive on time, support for regional agencies, and practical kit for adaptation, not speeches.
