Vuvale Union will not affect Fiji-China ties, Parliament told

Fiji’s Foreign Affairs Ministry has rejected concerns that the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Union is drawing Fiji into an alliance against China.

The issue was raised by Opposition MP Rinesh Sharma during questioning of Acting Deputy Secretary for Foreign Affairs Anare Leweniqila at the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence yesterday.

Mr Sharma asked whether Fiji was being indirectly drawn into a grouping involving the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.

“Is Fiji being indirectly pulled into the pool of US, UK, Australia and other countries against China, when China is the globe’s biggest trading partner?” he asked.

Mr Leweniqila said the Vuvale Union would not affect Fiji’s relationship with China.

“We do not see that this will affect our relations with China,” he said.

He added that the Vuvale Union remained open to other countries wishing to join.

The questioning also covered Australia’s AUKUS submarine programme and whether it could eventually have a presence in Fiji or Pacific waters.

Mr Sharma asked whether Fiji could see hubs for nuclear-powered submarines under Australia’s 10-year plan and raised concerns about radioactive waste polluting Fiji’s waters.

Australia is developing nuclear-powered submarines under AUKUS from the 2030s.

Mr Leweniqila said Australia remained a member of the Treaty of Rarotonga “in solidarity” with the Pacific.

He said the Ministry did not foresee nuclear expansion into the region.

Mr Sharma also questioned Australia’s reliability, referring to changes in AUKUS funding commitments after a change in government.

Asked how confident the Ministry was that Australia’s promised $1.5 billion over 10 years would hold, Mr Leweniqila said: “It’ll be up to subsequent governments.”