Pacific power play shifts to Fiji frontlines – as China, Australia come bearing gifts in battle for influence

An $80m Australian government-funded maritime security centre has opened in Fiji in the same week a massive Chinese military hospital ship makes a “goodwill” visit to the Pacific nation – illustrating the growing tussle for strategic influence in the region. As Papua New Guinea announced on Thursday that cabinet approval had finally been given to an historic military treaty with Australia, Defence Minister Richard Marles flew to Suva for security talks with his Fijian counterpart.

On Friday Mr Marles was joined by Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to formally open the Vuvale Maritime Essential Services Centre, which he described as “one of the biggest infrastructure investments” Australia had made anywhere in the world.

“This enables us to do so much more as a Pacific community in terms of responding to security threats but also responding to disasters and providing for humanitarian relief,” Mr Marles told reporters.

“It is a practical fact that the Pacific is front and centre in terms of Australia’s national security. You can look back through history and understand the lessons of that in terms of the security of Australia.”

Accompanied by Australia’s Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, the defence minister said the Albanese government was determined to be the “partner of choice” for countries of the Pacific.

“That is not something we get by right. That is something that we must earn. And that is what we are seeking to do in the way in which we are engaging here in Fiji, but right around the Pacific.”

Just days earlier the ‘Silk Road Ark’, a military hospital ship from China’s People’s Liberation Army-Navy, docked in Suva for a week-long goodwill visit to provide free humanitarian medical services as part of its “Mission Harmony-2025” tour of the region.

At Wednesday’s welcoming ceremony in Suva the head of Fiji’s Military Forces, Chief of Staff Brigadier-General Sapenafa Motufaga thanked the Chinese government and crew members for their goodwill mission.

“Your presence in Fiji today and the health services you will be offering to our people, continues to strengthen the relationship between the People’s Republic of China and Fiji,” Brigadier-General Motufaga was reported as saying.

The Commander of the Silk Road Ark mission, Senior Captain Peng Guliang, said the military hospital ship’s visit and provision of free health care symbolised the deep ties between China and Fiji.

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Fiji. Let the whistle of the Silk Road Ark serve as a clarion call for us to safeguard life and promote peace together,” Captain Peng said.

China’s navy boasts three indigenously built oceangoing hospital ships; the Peace Ark, the Silk Road Ark and the Auspicious Ark which are designed to provide medical care to civilians in peacetime and to injured military personnel during conflict.

Since 2010 Beijing has regularly deployed the 10,000-tonne vessels across the world on Harmony missions as part of President Xi Jinping’s efforts to assert China’s influence against the traditional world order dominated by the West.

According to the state-run China Daily publication, the Silk Road Ark’s 220-day mission is its longest ever and includes visits to around a dozen nations, including Nauru, Fiji, Tonga, Mexico, Jamaica, Barbados, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and Papua New Guinea.

Medical services are provided by a mission team that is primarily made up of personnel from the PLA Southern Theatre Command Navy, with additional members from the Joint Logistic Support Force, the Northern Theatre Command Navy, and the Naval Medical University.

On board there are 14 clinical departments and seven auxiliary diagnostic units, capable of performing over 60 types of medical procedures spanning general surgery, orthopaedics, obstetrics and gynaecology, ophthalmology, as well as a rescue helicopter.

Next week the Albanese government is hoping to lock in a recent strategic win by signing the long-awaited Pukpuk Treaty with PNG when the country’s Prime Minister James Marape visits Australia to attend the National Rugby League Grand Final.

Mr Marape and senior ministerial colleagues are scheduled to sign the mutual defence agreement with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Monday, elevating military ties to an alliance level, and preventing China from striking a similar deal.

The completion of the treaty comes after China recently warned Pacific nations not to enter agreements which “target any third party” and weeks before Mr Albanese is due to visit Washington DC for an Oval Office meeting with US President Donald Trump.