Samoa's cabinet has awarded the rebuilding of the Fugalei market on Upolu to the Chinese company, Qing Dao Construction.
The company has an office in Apia but recruit all their workers from mainland China.
The editor of the Samoa Observer newspaper Keni Lesa says Qing Dao was one of two Chinese companies among locals bidding for the contract.
He says the two Chinese companies had the lowest bids.
"These guys bring in everyone from China obviously the money goes back to China. It is one of the biggest in Samoa now, I mean you've got Qing Dao and then you've got another Chinese company called Shanghai Construction."
Keni Lesa says the rebuild of Upolu's main market at Fugalei has been badly managed and plagued with delays.
He says funds were also misspent on the first design of the new market that ended up being scrapped, and new plans drawn up.