Vanuatu could sign policing agreement with China after snubbing Australia
Australia’s push to lock in security deals with neighbouring Pacific nations has hit further trouble after Vanuatu signalled it’s ready to increase policing cooperation with Beijing.
Earlier this month Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had hoped to sign a sweeping economic and security agreement during a visit to Port Vila, but the move was delayed following concerns inside Vanuatu’s ruling coalition that it would shut out China.
Now Vanuatu’s Police Minister Andrew Napuat has declared his government will soon formalise a Memorandum of Understanding on policing with Beijing following face-to-face discussions with China’s Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“Vanuatu’s interest is not in full militarisation of its forces but rather on security issues relating to climate change, transnational crime, cybercrime, traffic management, and general policing duties and functions,” he was quoted as saying in the Vanuatu Daily Post.
Mr Napuat also insisted the proposed MOU with China would not be the same as the $500m Nakamal Security Agreement still being negotiated with the Albanese government.
“Overseas media has exaggerated these discussions with misrepresentations, giving wrong impressions of our relationship with our partners on topics of security and policing, which have very specific meanings in Vanuatu’s context.”
“Our two governments wish to formalise a Police MoU similar to existing MoUs with Australia, New Zealand, France, the UK, and PNG, to better coordinate and manage different areas of partnership in the policing sector with all of our partners.”
Following his visit to Beijing late last week, Mr Napuat said China was the only partner nation with which Vanuatu was yet to formalise an MoU and cooperation agreement on policing.
Vanuatu’s Police Force will soon also receive a $635,000 shipment of Chinese made policing equipment including INTERPOL systems, 20 motorcycles and 20 drones.
In a statement China’s government said it was willing to work with Vanuatu to “enhance their law enforcement capabilities and strengthen cooperation in cracking down on transnational crimes such as fugitive repatriation and asset recovery”.
“Minister Wang said that China is willing to work with Vanuatu to implement the Global Security Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, under the guidance of the important consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries.”
“(Minister) Napuat expressed gratitude for China’s support and assistance and stated that Vanuatu is willing to deepen practical cooperation with China in the field of police and law enforcement,” the Chinese government statement added.”
Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash has seized on the developments, accusing the Albanese government of being too focused on Palestine, and claiming its “failures in the Pacific are coming home to roost”. “Mr Albanese has been so focused on formally recognising a state partially run by terrorists that he has dropped the ball in our region,” Senator Cash told The Nightly.
“It is extremely regrettable that Mr Albanese has been unable to get expected deals signed with both Vanuatu and PNG. Mr Albanese needs to start taking regional security seriously, starting with prioritising the AUKUS agreement.”
After coming to office in 2022, the Albanese government sought to clinch a security agreement with Vanuatu that expressed a “family first approach to peace and security in our region”, but China is suspected of blocking efforts to have it ratified in Parliament. Last week during a visit to Port Moresby, Prime Minister Albanese also failed to secure an historic defence treaty with Papua New Guinea, which would bring the relationship to an ANZUS alliance level and block out similar cooperation with China.
In 2019 the then Labor opposition heavily criticised the former Morrison government’s failures on Pacific diplomacy after the Solomon Islands signed a security agreement with China.
“Despite all of his tough talk, on Scott Morrison’s watch our region has become less secure,” then Shadow Foreign Minister Penny Wong said at the time.
The Nightly has contacted the office of Foreign Minister Penny Wong for comment about Vanuatu’s proposed MOU with China on policing but is yet to receive a response.
