Today, many FSM (Federated States of Micronesia) citizens are studying in China as a result of politics tension within the Asian region. China and its neighboring South Korea and Japan are engaged in propaganda wars for soft power, to win support of their neighboring tiny island countries in the Pacific.
China began a program with the Pacific countries a few years ago to have aspiring students study at its many universities.
Glenda Elieisar, 24, from the Federated States of Micronesia, an island nation with a population of 100,000 in the South Pacific, wrote her name in Chinese characters in a direct transliteration. When asked what does she think of China, Elieisar then smiled and said China was a good place. If China invests more in Micronesia, it will create more jobs, she added.
Elieisar is no exception. In recent years, more and more young people are invited from island countries in the Pacific by the Chinese government to study the Chinese language in Beijing. The Chinese government also finances their living expenses during their studies. After returning home, many young people find jobs at factories or hotels in their countries, which are operated by Chinese companies.
Meanwhile, Japan has 22 Japanese language institutes in 21 countries, including Japanese Cultural Centers operated abroad by the Japan Foundation. South Korea has gone a different route by promoting their drama tv shows in the pacific countries. They would show them for free on cable tv and also theaters.
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