China in talks with Vanuatu about new military base

CHINA could soon be sailing warships on Australia’s doorstep with reports the rising superpower is in talks with Vanuatu about building a military presence 2000km from Brisbane.

CHINA could soon be sailing warships on Australia’s doorstep with reports the rising superpower is in preliminary talks with Vanuatu about building a military presence on the South Pacific island.

It would be China’s second overseas military outpost in the world and would spark a radical shake-up of global politics.

Beijing has poured hundreds of millions of dollars of development money into Vanuatu, including offering just last week to build a new official residence for Prime Minister Charlot Salwai.

Chinese President Xi Jinping. Picture: AFP

EARLIER: Chinese fleet exerts its influence

Now, Fairfax Media reports China is in preliminary discussions with the Vanuatu government about building its military presence on the island nation.

There has been no formal proposal to Vanuatu but Fairfax reports senior security officials believe China could be looking to eventually build a full military base after starting gradually with an agreement for naval ships to dock and refuel there.

It would potentially place a Chinese military base less than 2000km from Brisbane.

It’s understood the prospect has been discussed by Australian and US officials.

Chinese soldiers applauding during a military parade. Picture: AFP

EARLIER: China’s plans in the South China Sea

China’s recent commitment to fund a major new wharf on the north island of Espiritu Santo, which could potentially serve naval vessels as well as cruise ships, has fed the fears it is looking to reach an agreement with Vanuatu for more military access.

A Pacific Islands expert, Jonathan Pryke from the Lowy Institute, told Fairfax the funding commitment had “raised eyebrows” in Canberra’s defence, intelligence and diplomatic circles.

Vanuatu’s high commissioner in Canberra, Kalfau Kaloris, told the publication his country’s Foreign Ministry was “not aware of any such proposal,” while a spokeswoman for the Chinese embassy declined to comment.

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said she was confident Australia remained Vanuatu’s “strategic partner of choice”.

But her remarks on radio this morning reveal the Australian Government is watching China’s push into the Pacific closely.

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said she was confident Australia remained Vanuatu’s “strategic partner of choice”. Picture Kym Smith

“I’m not aware of a military offer being made by China to Vanuatu. The Government of Vanuatu has said there’s no such proposal,” Ms Bishop told ABC radio.

“It is a fact that China is engaging in developing infrastructure and investment activity in places around the world but to date there’s only one military base that China has built and that’s Djibouti in Northern Africa,” she said.

“I’m aware that China is more engaged in the Pacific.

“Chinese vessels visited Vanuatu last year as part of a broader visit to the region but these sorts of visits are normal for many neighbours around the world.”

Ms Bishop said Vanuatu’s foreign and defence relations were a matter for its government.

But she said she had visited the nation four times in her tenure as Foreign Minister and Australia had “very good relations” with the country.

“I remain confident that Australia is Vanuatu’s strategic partner of choice,” she said.

Ms Bishop later said Australia needed to be “realistic” about the need for Chinese development funding in the Pacific.

But she said there were concerns that some loans were not favourable to the smaller, “vulnerable” economies.

“There’s a massive need for infrastructure investment in the Pacific and beyond,” the minister told Sky News.

“Our concern is to ensure already vulnerable economies are not subjected to, for example, loans or financial arrangements that could weaken already vulnerable economies.”

It echoes the remarks of Minister for International Development and the Pacific Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, who earlier this year warned some development projects China was building in the Pacific were “white elephants” and “roads to nowhere”.