Australia tries to counter China’s influence in Pacific Islands, will negotiate security treaty with Vanuatu
Maritime surveillance, police and defence cooperation would underpin the security treaty,
Australia said on Monday it would negotiate a security treaty with Vanuatu, weeks after the Australian prime minister warned China against building a military base on the South Pacific island nation.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced the negotiations during a visit to Australia’s Parliament House by Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai Tabimasmas.
“We agreed to commence negotiations on a bilateral security treaty on common security interests, such as humanitarian assistance and disaster response, maritime surveillance and border security, police and defence cooperation,” Turnbull said in a statement.
Turnbull said he and Salwai had reinforced their commitment to a deep and enduring economic and security partnership.
A Vanuatu government spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
“It’s less about the goodies being announced and more about the visits actually taking place and the symbolism of that,” said Jonathan Pryke, a Pacific Islands foreign policy expert with the Lowy Institute, a think-tank based in Sydney.