The recently announced security agreement between Australia and Tuvalu, and the signing of a security pact by Australia and Papua New Guinea, have been touted as an Australian “win” in its strategic competition against China for influence in the sensitive domain of security cooperation with Pacific island countries (PICs). They came soon after a series of developments … Read more
Advertisement Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka called for the Pacific Ocean to be an “Ocean of Peace” amid a visit to Australia this week in which he seemed to edge Fiji further away from China. Rabuka, a former senior military commander who led two coups in 1987, said in a speech at the Lowy Institute … Read more
Oceania | Diplomacy Fiji announced a reconsideration of its 2022 security agreement with China just before signing a new defense agreement with New Zealand. It was subtle but clear signal to Beijing. Advertisement Last week Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka signaled that his government is reconsidering a police cooperation agreement with China, with an eye to terminating … Read more
Oceania | Security | Oceania Fiji’s government is finalizing a defense agreement with New Zealand, even while it considers scrapping a 2011 police cooperation agreement with China. Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka (left) shakes hands with New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins in Wellington, New Zealand, June 7, 2023. Credit: Facebook/ Fiji Government Advertisement Fiji’s leader indicated Wednesday his … Read more