Pacific leaders back Australian policing initiative in blow to China

An Australian Pacific policing initiative will go ahead after leaders backed the plan, dealing a big blow to China’s regional ambitions.

Pacific leaders have backed an Australian policing initiative, dealing a big blow to China’s strategic goals in the region.

The Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI), endorsed on Wednesday by leaders at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga, is a $400m pledge from Canberra to build up policing capabilities across the region over the next five years.

Among the initiative’s proposals are multi-country police units, four training centres in the Pacific and a Brisbane-based co-ordination hub.

Speaking alongside the leaders of Tonga, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Palau, Anthony Albanese said the PPI was a “Pacific-led initiative”.

“This is something that has arisen from the Pacific family to look after the Pacific family, ourselves,” the Prime Minister said.

“Our Pacific neighbours stand with each other, and we help each other in times of need.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (second left) at the Pacific Islands Forum. Pacific leaders have endorsed an Australia-led regional policing initiative at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum. Picture: X/ AlboPM

Pacific leaders have endorsed an Australian regional policing initiative at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum. Picture: X/ AlboPM

He said the PPI’s endorsement showed how “Pacific leaders are working together to shape the future that we want to see.”

“Making sure that by working together, the security of the entire region will be much stronger and will be looked after by ourselves,” he said.

Mr Albanese’s fellow Pacific leaders welcomed the PPI, with Tonga’s Hu’akavameiliku thanking Australia “for funding this critical initiative”.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape noted the region was facing a host of emerging security challenges, from cybersecurity to domestic security.

PNG’s remote highlands have long been plagued by tribal violence, with flare ups often killing dozens.

Mr Marape said it was “really important that we come together in this manner.”

“The Pacific needs to build its security apparatus so we could lend a hand to each other or within,” he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Pacific Policing Initiative would ‘strengthen regional peace and security’. Picture: NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

Palau President Surangel Whipps highlighted cybersecurity, saying his country had been hit by three major incidents over the past year.

“It is so important that we develop our local police forces and be able to collaborate and work together to meet the challenges,” he said.

“Without peace and security, we cannot prosper as Pacific Islands.”

Last year, China signed a policing pact with the Solomon Islands, sparking concerns of Beijing’s growing influence.

Uniformed Chinese police have also popped up in Kiribati, with both Kirabati and Chinese officials keeping it under wraps until Reuters exposed it in February.

The PPI comes after Australia and New Zealand pledged to step up trans-Tasman defence earlier this month, with Mr Albanese and his counterpart Christopher Luxon warning that the region is facing “the most complex and challenging strategic circumstances since World War II”.

Originally published as Pacific leaders back Australian policing initiative in blow to China