Fiji said on Friday that its cabinet had agreed to a security and economic treaty with Australia, which is seeking closer ties with Pacific neighbours to counter China’s growing security ambitions in the region.
The announcement comes days after Canberra’s top diplomat held talks in the Pacific hub.
Canberra struck a defence treaty with Papua New Guinea last year, following a landmark climate migration and security treaty with Tuvalu in 2023.
Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong had said on Wednesday in Fiji’s capital Suva that a treaty under negotiation with the South Pacific island nation was focused on security, development and people.
“Its cabinet has approved the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Union, a treaty-level framework that will strengthen and formalise the longstanding partnership between Fiji and Australia,” Fiji’s government said in a statement on Facebook on Friday.
“The treaty will deepen economic integration between the two countries and will cover climate security, health and infrastructure,” it added.
An Australian official said the Australian side would approve the treaty through a further process.
The two countries’ leaders are not expected to sign the treaty until it is published.
