Australia to Spend $300 Million in Pacific to Combat Beijing Money

Men from the pacific island nations of Tonga and Fiji perform a traditional Haka after arriving in Sydney, Australia, on Nov. 12, 2014. Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images

The Australian government has committed to spending $300 million (US$232 million) on infrastructure projects in the Pacific region as a way to combat Beijing’s predatory lending in the region.

In a report by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, it was revealed that the move is part of Australia’s Pacific step-up efforts and includes a raft of loans and grants for upgrading telecommunications, transport, health facilities, and power projects.