“China’s Mad Dash Into a Strategic Island Nation Breeds Resentment”, 30 Janaury 2023

China has opened a large embassy, started construction on a stadium complex and signed secretive deals with the government on security, aviation, telecommunications and more. [...]

Every evening just before 6 p.m., workers stream out of the stadium complex in the capital, Honiara, that is being built by a Chinese state-owned company with what officials have described as a generous $50 million grant from the Chinese government.

Signs out front boast of friendship, cooperation and safety in Chinese and English. But after work recently, at a food stand across the street, employees called all of that a lie.

“Everyone wants to strike because of the poor payment and lack of safety,” said Lenny Olea, 35, a driver. “We need to get this fixed.

Mr. Olea said he was making $1.20 an hour less than what he used to make at a hotel, after promises of extra money for food and transportation never materialized. A dozen others said that they had received no safety training, and that their Chinese foremen communicated with hand gestures and hit them in the head if they got something wrong.

“They don’t understand us,” Mr. Olea said.

The Chinese Embassy denied a request by The New York Times to speak with the ambassador. The Chinese company, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, did not respond to emailed questions about the workers’ complaints.