Fiji supports AUKUS, Albanese prioritizes relationship with island country

During a meeting between Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Rabuka expressed support for the AUKUS deal, despite concerns raised by Indonesia and Malaysia about the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines. Rabuka was reassured that the agreement would not violate the Treaty of Rarotonga, which envisages a nuclear weapons-free South Pacific region. Meanwhile, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong emphasized that the submarines would not carry nuclear weapons. The AUKUS deal was prompted by China’s increasingly aggressive posture in the Indo-Pacific. Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for increased defense investment, warning that Australia cannot counter a Chinese attack on its own. Meanwhile, Admiral John Aquilino, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, stated that the AUKUS deal would boost Australia’s defense capabilities.