Sino-Pacific Countries Trade Relations After The Cold War Era

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions, which contains an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 islands, and inhabitants are sometimes referred to as Pacific Islanders. China, on the other hand is on the west of the Pacific, with most of its rivers emptying into the Pacific Ocean. The relationship between these two parties has always been a question for some scholars. This thesis is a result of a two year research on the relations between China and the Pacific Island States mainly focusing on their trade relations. This paper will attempt to answer the questions: should China be contained or should it be integrated into the Pacific economy? Should the two internal major powers (Australia and New Zealand), and the two external major powers (The United States and France) be threatened by China's growing influence in the Pacific? I will argue that China's involvement in the Pacific is not a calculated strategic movement but more of a cooperation and integration.