The topic of Chinese influence in the Pacific looms large, but in general the share of China as an origin of imports in the Pacific has mostly stayed steady over the past decade as goods continue to utilise Australia and New Zealand connections. Fiji on the other hand, has increased its role as a regional distribution hub and improvements in air cargo and shipping connectivity could see further growth. This article looks at developments of imports into Pacific Island Countries, main trading partners, the role of China, and freight connectivity with a particular focus on Fiji. Analysis includes an interactive dashboard with commodity level trade between China and Pacific Island Countries.
Posts tagged as “Connectivity”
The level of freight connectivity in parts of South and Southeast Asia will need to improve to support the region's world leading trade growth expectations - particularly in Indonesia and Vietnam. This article looks at the air cargo and container shipping connectivity. Connectivity is a key factor when it comes to sourcing decisions and the relative competitive advantage of different countries.
Sufficient, reliable, and affordable shipping capacity is crucial for the viability of import and export businesses. Over the past three years most of that was missing due to congestion, shutdowns, blank sailings, and obscene shipping rates. Fortunately, things are improving, but problems remain, particularly with regard to connectivity in smaller markets. Under these circumstances there is merit in industry and Government considering taking control of feeder capacity to support ongoing connections for exporters and importers into hubs where connectivity has been largely unaffected over the past years.