AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Leaders in the Pacific welcome aid from China and other external partners, but hope it can be contributed in coordinated efforts with regional governments and other donors, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said Friday.

Key, who is chairing the 42nd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting in Auckland, said PIF leaders had "excellent discussions" at the post-forum dialogue with representatives from France, Indonesia, the United States, Japan, South Korea and China.

Asked about China's growing influence in the region, Key told a press conference that the Chinese representatives "made it clear that they don't want to be bound by the Cairns Compact," a 2009 agreement among PIF countries to seek more effective coordinations of development resources in order to make progress on the Millenium Development Goals.

Asked about the potential rivalry in the Pacific between the region's traditional major power, the US, and the increasingly influential China, Key said that was a matter for the United States to deal with.

As China became a larger and wealthier part of the global economy, it was "spreading its footprint" to the Pacific, said Key.

"They are contributing to projects that have a real benefit to the region," said Key.

"New Zealand, along with Australia, are happy to work with other countries to maximize the aid that goes into that part of the world.

"That aid can make a real difference to those countries and we should encourage that," said Key. "Wherever it comes from, it's to be welcomed."