Australia and Fiji sign Ocean of Peace defence pact

On 6 July 2026 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka signed the Ocean of Peace Alliance in Suva, creating Fiji’s first mutual‑defence treaty and Australia’s fourth such agreement after the United States, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. The pact is paired with the Vuvale Union economic treaty under which Australia will invest more than AU$1 billion in Fiji over the next decade.

The alliance is framed as a response to growing Chinese influence in the South Pacific. Hours after the signing, China announced a submarine‑launched intercontinental ballistic missile test in the Pacific, which Australian officials described as destabilising. Chinese foreign‑ministry spokesperson Mao Ning warned against “over‑interpretation” of the test.

Albanese said the Ocean of Peace Alliance “introduces a mutual defence obligation and there’s no higher obligation than to come to each other’s aid at a time of need.” Rabuka added that the agreement “does not threaten Fiji’s relationship with China nor Australia’s relationship with China.” The deal follows a series of recent Australian pacts with Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and upcoming negotiations with the Solomon Islands, underscoring Canberra’s broader strategy to counter Beijing’s regional push.