Archive · 28 Jan 2026
China Rated Top Development Partner by Small Island States
A recent survey of small island developing states, like Mauritius and the Maldives, showed that China is now seen as the most important partner for development help.
This is a big change because the United States and other Western countries used to be the main helpers.
The survey found that China gave the most money for development between 2020 and 2023.
The United States, under President Donald Trump, cut back on aid, especially for climate change.
The small island states are also worried about the big impact of extreme weather on their economies and their limited access to financial help.
The survey included countries from the Caribbean to the South China Sea and showed that different regions had different top partners, with the UK leading in the Caribbean and Australia in the Pacific.
A survey of 29 small island developing states found China as the top bilateral development assistance partner.
China provided $6 billion in development aid between 2020 and 2023, outstripping the US, Australia, and Japan.
The US, under President Donald Trump, cut back on aid, particularly for climate change, after his return to office in January 2025.
Different regions had different top partners: the UK in the Caribbean, Australia in the Pacific, and China in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea.
Small island states face significant economic vulnerabilities due to extreme weather events and limited access to concessional finance.
- Who
- Small island developing states, including Mauritius, Maldives, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Barbados, Cabo Verde, and others
- What
- A survey conducted by ODI Global found China as the top bilateral development assistance partner for these nations
- When
- The survey was conducted between July and November 2025, with data on finance flows from 2020 to 2023
- Where
- The survey included countries from the Caribbean to the South China Sea, including both island and non-island states like Belize and Guyana
- Why
- The shift in perception is attributed to U.S. aid cuts and a pivot away from climate change, as well as China's increased development aid
- Survey Period
- July to November 2025
- Number of Respondents
- 29 small island developing states
- China's Development Aid (2020-2023)
- $6 billion
- Australia's Development Aid (2020-2023)
- $4.78 billion
- US Development Aid (2020-2023)
- $3.17 billion
- Japan's Development Aid (2020-2023)
- $2 billion
- US Aid Cuts
- USAID largely shuttered under Trump in 2025
- Key Regions Surveyed
- Caribbean, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, South China Sea