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The concept of “sustainable development” dates back a long time, but it was at the United Nations (UN) Conference on Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972) that the international community met for the first time to consider global environment and development needs, to define principles for the preservation and enhancement of the natural environment and to highlight the need to support people in this process. Later, in 1992, at the UN Conference on Environment and Development, 178 heads of state adopted three important documents: a comprehensive plan of action entitled Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of Principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests.

The Peoples Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan, and peoples of Chinese ancestry resident in the Pacific Islands have figured prominently in news items concerning the Pacific in recent years.2 In April 2006, post-election violence erupted in the Solomon Islands’ capital, Honiara, following the declaration of the Deputy Prime Minister of the unpopular out-going government, Snyder Rini, as the new Prime Minster. Much of Honiara’s Chinatown was burned and looted.