AUSTRALIA has signed a security pact with the neighbouring island nation of Vanuatu, its second defence agreement in the region in two months, and a boost in Canberra’s rivalry with China for influence in the region.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced the signing during a visit to Vanuatu on Tuesday (Dec 13), saying it was proof that Australia remained the “security partner of choice” for the Pacific country.

She said that the agreement would help the two countries cooperate across a wide range of areas, including disaster relief, law enforcement and defence. Australia signed a defence agreement with Fiji in October to allow for greater mobility of military personnel, and is in negotiations for a similar pact with Papua New Guinea.

Australia and the US have been rushing to solidify their diplomatic ties in the Pacific, after the Chinese government announced in April that it had signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands, a diplomatic first for Beijing in the region.

While no details of the Solomon Islands agreement have been released officially, a draft leaked in March would have allowed for Chinese naval vessels to dock just 2,000 km from Australia’s coastline.

There have previously been concerns in the Australian government that Vanuatu could also be moving closer to Beijing. In 2018, there were reports in The Sydney Morning Herald and other Australian media that the Chinese government was courting Vanuatu with the goal of establishing a military base in the country.

GET BT IN YOUR INBOX DAILY

Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign UpVIEW ALL

In a jab at the Chinese government’s pact with the Solomon Islands in April, Wong said that Australia’s agreement with Vanuatu would be released in full “as nations committed to democracy, accountability and transparency.” BLOOMBERG