An influential Pacific leader has warned China should deal with the region collectively instead of targeting individual countries, while airing concerns about the precedent set when Beijing deepened security ties with the Solomon Islands following unrest in 2021.

Following a meeting with Anthony Albanese on Wednesday, Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa raised no objections to Australia’s planned acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines, as long as they did not carry nuclear warheads.