Pacific Island leaders endorsed a landmark regional policing plan yesterday at a summit in Tonga, a contentious move seen as trying to limit China’s security role in the region.
Leaders unveiled a plan to create up to four regional police training centres and a multinational crisis reaction force, backed by $271 million in initial funding from Australia.
Under the plan, a corps of about 200 officers drawn from different Pacific Island nations could be dispatched to regional hot spots and disaster zones when needed and invited.
“This demonstrates how Pacific leaders are working together to shape the future that we want to see,” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, hailing the agreement.
The Australian leader made the announcement while flanked by leaders of Fiji, Palau, Papua New Guinea and Tonga — a symbolic show of unity in a region riven by competition between China and the United States.
According to Mihai Sora of the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based think tank, Wednesday’s announcement was a diplomatic victory for Australia and for the Pacific Islands Forum, a regional bloc which had appeared deeply divided on the topic.
China’s Pacific allies — most notably Vanuatu and Solomon Islands — had voiced concern that the policing plan represented a “geo-strategic denial security doctrine”, designed to box out Beijing.
While all members of the forum have endorsed the deal in principle, national leaders will have to decide how much they participate, if at all.
Asked about the deal on Wednesday, Beijing said it welcomed “all parties’ efforts for Pacific Island countries’ development and prosperity”.
“China’s cooperation with Pacific Island countries on police, law enforcement, and in other fields is normal cooperation between sovereign countries,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.
“It complies with international law and norms and isn’t aimed at, or constrained by, any third party,” he added.
