Australia and Fiji Sign Defense Pact as New Zealand Weighs Joining July 10

Australia and Fiji signed the Ocean of Peace Alliance on July 6, a mutual defense treaty obliging both nations to aid each other if attacked. The pact marks Fiji’s first formal military alliance and Australia’s fourth. New Zealand is now considering joining. The agreement includes a separate development package worth US$690 million over 10 years for education, health, and climate work in Fiji, signaling a broader shift in how Pacific nations are aligning amid China’s expanding military presence.

What the Ocean of Peace Alliance requires

The Ocean of Peace Alliance, also called the Veitacini Treaty, commits Australia and Fiji to treat an armed attack on either nation as a threat to shared security. Both governments must “act to meet the common danger” through their domestic processes. However, experts told Radio Free Asia that the exact wording does not absolutely require both sides to mobilize military forces in every scenario. The treaty is designed to be open to other Pacific nations, provided every existing member agrees to expansion.

Why the timing matters with China’s missile test

On July 6, the same day the treaty was signed, China’s military test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile carrying a dummy warhead into the Pacific. The missile, likely the JL-3 model, can reach the continental United States from Chinese coastal waters. A Chinese tracking ship, Yuan Wang 5, was berthed in Fiji’s capital, Suva, during the treaty signing and remained there during the missile launch, collecting surveillance data. Military experts say the timing was no coincidence. Australia’s foreign minister confirmed Beijing gave advance notice but still called the move a threat to regional stability.

Australia’s broader Pacific strategy

The Fiji treaty is Australia’s fourth bilateral defense agreement, following pacts with Papua New Guinea in 2025 and the United States and New Zealand in 1951. Australia has also signed development packages with Vanuatu (worth approximately US$345 million) and Papua New Guinea. Alan Tidwell, director of the center for Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Studies at Georgetown University, told Radio Free Asia that the alliance signals “Australia is leading an effort to align parties in a westerly tilt.” These agreements aim to block China from establishing military bases on Pacific islands, a concern that intensified after Solomon Islands signed a security deal with China in 2022.

New Zealand’s potential entry and regional expansion

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the country is considering joining the Ocean of Peace Alliance. If Wellington enters, the pact would resemble a Pacific version of NATO, with multiple nations bound by mutual defense obligations. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded by saying Beijing hopes countries “would respect the Pacific island countries’ independence.” Experts note that Pacific nations have long insisted they can hedge between great powers, but recent agreements show island states are increasingly siding with Australia and the West to counter Beijing’s influence.

China’s expanding Pacific footprint

China has built significant infrastructure across the Pacific, including ports, airports, and communications projects. Between the late 1990s and early 2020s, Chinese naval vessels visited Fiji 20 times, more than any other location in Oceania. Chinese firms control much of the nickel processing in Indonesia’s Halmahera region, a critical link in the global electric-vehicle battery supply chain. Beijing’s 2022 security pact with Solomon Islands raised alarm in Australia about potential military base construction in the region.

Final Thoughts

The Ocean of Peace Alliance represents a turning point in Pacific geopolitics. With New Zealand weighing entry and Australia securing strategic access to ports and infrastructure, Canberra has edged ahead of Beijing in the diplomatic battle for regional influence. For investors and policymakers, the pact signals that Pacific nations are choosing Western security partnerships over Chinese economic incentives.

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