China News
WATER WORLD
Fiji says would not welcome China military presence in Pacific
Fiji says would not welcome China military presence in Pacific
by AFP Staff Writers
Sydney (AFP) July 2, 2025

Fiji's prime minister said Wednesday that China should not be allowed to gain a permanent military foothold in the strategically contested South Pacific region.

China has spent years cementing its influence in a string of Pacific island nations, challenging traditional security partners such as the United States and its ally Australia.

Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka on Wednesday hit back at suggestions that China could turn its growing sway into a permanent security presence.

"If they want to come, who would welcome them? Not Fiji," he told reporters during an address at Australia's National Press Club.

"And I think that China understands that well."

Former coup leader Rabuka said the South Pacific should be an "ocean of peace", free from the ambitions of jostling superpowers.

Aid and development should not be offered to climate-threated Pacific nations with strings attached, he added.

"We do not want superpower rivalries or big power rivalries to be played out in the Pacific," Rabuka said.

"China's participation in our development should not affect how we interact with Australia, New Zealand and America."

Beijing has spent hundreds of millions of dollars building sports stadiums, government offices, hospitals and roads in Pacific nations such as Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

The diplomatic charm offensive has already borne fruit.

Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Nauru have in recent years severed longstanding diplomatic links with Taiwan in favour of China.

Solomon Islands is seen as a particularly close friend of China in the region.

It inked a secretive security pact with Beijing in 2022, fuelling fears China may one day seek to use the archipelago as a military base.

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
WATER WORLD
Nearly one-third of Pacific nation Tuvalu seeks Australian climate visa
Sydney (AFP) June 26, 2025
Nearly one-third of citizens in Pacific nation Tuvalu are seeking a landmark climate visa to live in Australia as rising seas threaten their palm-fringed shores, official figures obtained by AFP show. Australia is offering visas to 280 Tuvalu citizens each year under a climate migration deal Canberra has billed as "the first agreement of its kind anywhere in the world". More than 3,000 Tuvaluans have already entered a ballot for the first batch of visas, according to official figures on the Au ... read more

WATER WORLD
Chinese Long March Rockets Make International Debut at Paris Air Show

China Shenzhou XX crew advances cognitive and biotech research aboard Tiangong

Chinese rocket delivers e-commerce packages in sea recovery test

China Establishes UN-SPIDER Regional Support Office at Wuhan University

WATER WORLD
China says BRICS not seeking 'confrontation' after Trump tariff threat

China says EU 'mentality', not trade, needs to be rebalanced

China says US lifted some export curbs, warns against 'blackmail'

BRICS nations to denounce Trump tariffs

WATER WORLD
WATER WORLD
China says Dalai Lama successor must be approved by Beijing

Dalai Lama suggests institution to continue at 90th birthday launch

Trump says 'getting along well' with China, downplays hostile acts

Life lessons of the Dalai Lama

WATER WORLD
Framatome to upgrade Tihange 3 and Doel 4 reactors under new Electrabel contracts

French giant EDF will take 12.5 pecent stake in new UK nuclear plant

GE Vernova and Fortum take steps toward Nordic deployment of BWRX-300 SMRs

GE Vernova to open Ontario engineering center for BWRX-300 small modular reactors

WATER WORLD
Visa's 24/7 war room takes on global cybercriminals

2 Chinese nationals charged with spying in the United States

UK govt says Chinese spying on the rise

Iran appoints new Revolutionary Guards intelligence chief

WATER WORLD
Framatome to upgrade Tihange 3 and Doel 4 reactors under new Electrabel contracts

French giant EDF will take 12.5 pecent stake in new UK nuclear plant

GE Vernova and Fortum take steps toward Nordic deployment of BWRX-300 SMRs

GE Vernova to open Ontario engineering center for BWRX-300 small modular reactors

WATER WORLD
UK ditches mega green energy supply project from Morocco

Trump admin ends halt on New York offshore wind project

Trump shift boosts offshore wind project: New York governor

Norway's Equinor slams 'unlawful' halt to US wind farm

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.