‘China-proofing’ Pacific states

Nauru, one of the smallest countries, with an area of 21sq km and a population of 13,000, is not the first Pacific Islands state to do a deal with Australia aimed at “China-proofing” it against falling into the trap of making security or telecommunications pacts with Beijing. Tuvalu, just 26sq km and with 12,000 people, concluded a similar security and migration deal with Australia in 2023.

While Tuvalu maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan, not China, Nauru suddenly switched sides in January and opted for Beijing. Yet Nauru was still prepared to go ahead with a groundbreaking bilateral treaty – negotiated across two years and announced in Canberra by Anthony Albanese and Nauruan President David Adeang on Monday – that will enable Australia to “block visits by Chinese warships to Nauru and (give Australia) a veto over the country’s security, banking and telecommunications relationships”.

Minuscule though Nauru is, its willingness to defy Beijing and sign a treaty with Australia that ring-fences it against allowing China to “use it for security purposes” – that is, to establish a military base – is vital. The treaty gives Australia the right to block agreements affecting Nauru’s security, telecommunications and banking. Nauru, in return, has promised not to allow its critical infrastructure, including ports and naval facilities, to be used by other countries for security purposes. The promise of $140m in Australian taxpayer dollars – $100m in direct budget support to Nauru across five years and $40m across five years to improve the country’s policing and security – helped seal the deal. As the Prime Minister said, “The treaty underscores Nauru’s commitment to strengthening Pacific-led solutions to meet our region’s security, economic and development needs (and) will make our region stronger and safer.”

Other small Pacific states – even those that have fallen for Beijing’s “one China” recognition demands – would be foolish not to recognise the value of such a treaty that ensures substantial ongoing support from a traditional ally, Australia, while ensuring that China with its promises of debt traps in return for the establishment of military bases is kept at bay.

Kiribati, the South Pacific’s most pro-China state after Solomon Islands, has rejected Australia’s offer of a similar deal, Ben Packham reported. Kiribati’s rejection, doubtless at Beijing’s behest, underscores the value to Pacific Islands states of agreeing security pacts with Australia rather than falling for Beijing’s diplomatic subversion. Tuvalu and Nauru have adopted a sensible “China-proofing” course that other states should follow.