Interesting analysis and I take yr point about the Chinese people being as much victims of the CCP as anyone. I am also well aware of China's leverage of lending and investment...
...but as an example:
So they guy who lives next door is in the army. Goes on training missions all over. He's been to Kenya and Tanzania many times and said that for all the historical, political, imperial ties and supposed UK interest in its former colony, it took the Chinese to come in and build a new road from the capital that cuts his journey time to the base from 15 to 4 hours.
Unless the west engages in some altruism it's hard to see how the allure of Chinese investment and advice (we're like the World Bank but we ask fewer questions and have preferential rates - btw, did we mention our side lines in cyber security and surveillance?) can be stopped.
The issue with China is it is not known where the money is coming from in regarding as to who is actually paying and receiving the funds for these improvements. Australia has been a supporter of Pacific nations for many decades, Papua New Guinea was a Territory of Australia before it's peaceful transition to full Independence in 1973.
There is a very fine line to walk without running in to the issue of usurping a small governments powers. The people need to know they are in control of their own destiny, throwing millions of dollars at small governments invites huge problems and issues with corruption of small government leaders and rebellion of it's citizens if they feel their nations are being taken over by large foreign powers....................this is exactly what the CCP has been doing. There is already trouble developing on some of these islands because of the contracts signed by their leaders with the CCP. It is how the CCP does business.
Unlike China and how it handles funding and loans to small developing nations or economies, we have strict checks and balances in place which are open to scrutiny.by the public and media. It's developing into a huge issue in this region, simply because of the unwillingness of the CCP to act openly as a supposed world trading partner. No-one really knows where the CCP's money is coming from for these loans.
Aus foreign aid to the Pacific nations is about 5 Billion a year, this does not include the hundreds of millions which go to aid for cyclones, covid and other emergencies.
Your friend may get to the airport quicker, but I bet he doesn't know the devil in the detail. You may wish to look at what China is doing in Antarctica as well.....it has established several bases down that way in recent years, has it's eyes on some of the most pristine protected fish breeding grounds on Earth. If their massive fishing fleets ever begin trawling there, the area will be decimated and depleted like everywhere else they go.
It makes sense they wish to build a trail of ports from the Philippines, through New Guinea ports they have planned, to the Pacific Island ports they are building, to Antarctica. They have been pushing the boundaries with Australia's section of Antarctic Territory down there for some time. They don't like when we push back. They are not up front, nor are they disclosing their intentions, unlike every other nation that has treaties or agreements. They have no intention of disclosure. Doesn't take Einstein to work out what's planned.
I'm not a CCP sympathizer, I don't trust them simply because they don't want to be trusted, they have no checks and balances in place on their home soil, no-one asks questions of them, their intimidation of anyone who questions is complete.. Australia has been, was a good friend and trading partner with China for decades. But China through the CCP has become increasingly aggressive toward it's neighbours, not just with their conspicuous economic deals, but also through it's military expansions.
There are huge cracks in the Chinese economy. If it doesn't keep moving it will explode, the thing is it does not give a care on how it keeps moving. Greed took hold of the CCP, they've lost control of it, big time. Can't stop it, reign it in....just keep feeding it.