Chinese Government provides $53 million grant — via ETCA — for 2023 Pacific Games Stadium Construction Project

On September 16, 2019, the Government of the Solomon Islands announced that it was severing diplomatic ties with the Republic of China (‘Taiwan’) and establishing diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China (‘China’). Taiwan had previously signed several Memorandums of Understanding to fund and construct the 2023 Pacific Games Stadium, and the Chinese Government agreed to take over the project. On December 4, 2019, the Government of the Solomon Islands and the Government of the People’s Republic of China agreed to undertake a feasibility study for the 2023 Pacific Games Stadium Construction Project. Then, on April 15, 2020, the two government signed an exchange of letters for the 2023 Pacific Games Stadium Construction Project. China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) reportedly committed $53 million of grant funding for the project. Then, on October 7, 2021, the Government of the Solomon Islands and the Government of the People’s Republic of China signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which officially committed an unknown amount of grant funding for an unspecified set of projects. The purpose of the project is to construct a 10,000-seat National Stadium, a 50-meter competition pool and a 25-meter pool at the Aquatic Center (to host swimming competitions), a Tennis Court with a Supporting Tennis Center, a 1200 square meter office building and food court, a new replacement track & field with 4 practice lanes and football pitch (‘secondary stadium’) to be used when the current track and field is closed, an artificial hockey field, and a larger 90-meter x 50-meter multipurpose hall. All of these facilities will be located in the capital city of Honiara. China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd. (CCECC) is the contractor responsible for project implementation. Pan-China is serving as a subcontractor. The construction of the stadium and the supporting facilities was delayed as of August 21, 2020 as project design teams from China were not able to travel to the Solomon Islands due to the country's Covid-19 lockdown. Then, in December 2020, CCECC was awarded a MOFCOM contract. On April 11, 2021, a team of 120 Chinese engineers and technical specialists arrived in Honiara to support the implementation of the project. A formal groundbreaking ceremony took place on May 5, 2021. However, the Government of the Solomon Islands and the Government of the People’s Republic of China did not sign a project implementation agreement until October 22, 2021. On April 22, 2022, despite rising COVID-19 cases, the Chinese Government officially completed and handed over the replacement track & field with 4 practice lanes and football pitch (at the King George Sixth School site in East Honiara). The 2023 Pacific Games Stadium Construction Project was originally expected to reach completion in May 31, 2023.

Additional details

1. The Chinese project title is 援所罗门群岛2023年太平洋运动会体育场馆项目 or 所罗门群岛2023年太平洋运动会体育场馆项目. 2. Some sources suggests that grant commitment for this project is $100 million rather than $53 million. For the time being, AidData relies on the more conservative of these two estimated. However, one possibility is that the $53 million figure only captures the grant funding for the construction of the 10,000-seat National Stadium. This issue warrants further investigation. 3. The Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands has said that this project is one of the largest infrastructure projects, funded and built by the People’s Republic of China in any of PRC’s partner Pacific Island countries. 4. According to multiple official sources, the Exchange of Letters signed on April 15, 2020 officially committed China to fund the project. However, in October 2021, the two countries signed an ETCA, in which the Solomon Islands government states China agreed to continue supporting the Pacific Games Stadium Project. It is unclear what the ETCA provides. This issue warrants further investigation.

Number of official sources

12

Number of total sources

37