China Emerges as Top Development Partner for Small Island States, ODI Survey Finds

The Solomon Islands National Stadium in Honiara, the Solomon Islands on September 10, 2025. Photo by NOBUTERU SAKUTA / YOMIURI / THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN VIA AFP

As climate shocks intensify and aid from legacy donors comes under pressure, China is increasingly filling the development gap for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), a group of climate-vulnerable economies spread across the Caribbean, Pacific, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea, according to a new report from the UK-based NGO ODI Global.

These countries face shared structural challenges, including small domestic markets, high debt burdens, limited access to concessional finance, and outsized exposure to sea-level rise and extreme weather, making reliable external partners critical to long-term development planning.

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by CGSP Staff

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