Corporate social responsibilities of Chinese enterprises and local perceptions: Ramu NiCo mine in the Pacific

The geostrategic competition between China and the US-led traditional powers is intensifying in the Pacific. The two sides are competing for influence in Pacific islands, but local perceptions of these external powers are under-researched. This research analyses local perceptions of China through the lens of corporate social responsibilities of Ramu NiCo mine project in Papua New Guinea. It is China’s largest investment project in the Pacific and receives full support of Beijing for the sake of China-PNG political relations. The research builds upon our survey of 513 participants and 44 interviews between September 2023 and July 2024. The survey participants include 100 individuals at the Madang Town Market Precinct near the mine site and 413 students from six disciplines at the Divine Word University in Madang Province, where the mine project is located. Our main findings include: local perceptions of Ramu NiCo’s corporate social responsibilities are nuanced; the overall rating is just ‘moderate’; concerns about the environmental impacts are apparent.