Latest news with #OceanofPeace
The Advertiser
17 hours ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Australia to grow Fiji ties after Rabuka visit
Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's week-long visit to Australia has borne fruit, with Anthony Albanese's government agreeing to bolster aid by tens of millions to the Pacific nation. Australia has agreed to a fresh commitment of $52 million of support, with a focus on border security, taking commitments to the Melanesian nation to just under $500 million over the next four years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also announced a deepening of policing and security ties, including officers and advisers to be embedded in Fijian operations. "Australia and Fiji are taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific," Senator Wong said. The border security funding of $12 million will "strengthen border security by improving shipping container screening at Lautoka and Suva Ports". It's hoped this will tackle the growing illicit drugs crisis in Fiji, with the regional hub increasingly used by trafficking cartels as a gateway to the lucrative Australian market. Mr Rabuka arrived in Canberra last week, meeting with governor-general Sam Mostyn before a series of meetings with Australian officials, including Mr Albanese. He addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday, calling for a deepening of defence ties and raised the prospect of Fijian soldiers serving in the the Australian Defence Forces. He rebuked China's security ambitions for the region, saying Fiji would not welcome a military base in its territory or the wider Pacific. That is in keeping with Mr Rabuka's "Ocean of Peace" proposal, a vision for a peaceful and collaborative region that the veteran prime minister hopes to codify at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in September. Australia has offered support for that proposal when it comes before the region's leaders at the annual summit, to be hosted in the Solomon Islands. Senator Wong and Pacific island Minister Pat Conroy, said Australia had also agreed to explore further co-operation with Fiji on several other areas. That includes developing a "modern, cyber-secure border management system", co-operation on transnational crime and policing. Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's week-long visit to Australia has borne fruit, with Anthony Albanese's government agreeing to bolster aid by tens of millions to the Pacific nation. Australia has agreed to a fresh commitment of $52 million of support, with a focus on border security, taking commitments to the Melanesian nation to just under $500 million over the next four years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also announced a deepening of policing and security ties, including officers and advisers to be embedded in Fijian operations. "Australia and Fiji are taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific," Senator Wong said. The border security funding of $12 million will "strengthen border security by improving shipping container screening at Lautoka and Suva Ports". It's hoped this will tackle the growing illicit drugs crisis in Fiji, with the regional hub increasingly used by trafficking cartels as a gateway to the lucrative Australian market. Mr Rabuka arrived in Canberra last week, meeting with governor-general Sam Mostyn before a series of meetings with Australian officials, including Mr Albanese. He addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday, calling for a deepening of defence ties and raised the prospect of Fijian soldiers serving in the the Australian Defence Forces. He rebuked China's security ambitions for the region, saying Fiji would not welcome a military base in its territory or the wider Pacific. That is in keeping with Mr Rabuka's "Ocean of Peace" proposal, a vision for a peaceful and collaborative region that the veteran prime minister hopes to codify at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in September. Australia has offered support for that proposal when it comes before the region's leaders at the annual summit, to be hosted in the Solomon Islands. Senator Wong and Pacific island Minister Pat Conroy, said Australia had also agreed to explore further co-operation with Fiji on several other areas. That includes developing a "modern, cyber-secure border management system", co-operation on transnational crime and policing. Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's week-long visit to Australia has borne fruit, with Anthony Albanese's government agreeing to bolster aid by tens of millions to the Pacific nation. Australia has agreed to a fresh commitment of $52 million of support, with a focus on border security, taking commitments to the Melanesian nation to just under $500 million over the next four years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also announced a deepening of policing and security ties, including officers and advisers to be embedded in Fijian operations. "Australia and Fiji are taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific," Senator Wong said. The border security funding of $12 million will "strengthen border security by improving shipping container screening at Lautoka and Suva Ports". It's hoped this will tackle the growing illicit drugs crisis in Fiji, with the regional hub increasingly used by trafficking cartels as a gateway to the lucrative Australian market. Mr Rabuka arrived in Canberra last week, meeting with governor-general Sam Mostyn before a series of meetings with Australian officials, including Mr Albanese. He addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday, calling for a deepening of defence ties and raised the prospect of Fijian soldiers serving in the the Australian Defence Forces. He rebuked China's security ambitions for the region, saying Fiji would not welcome a military base in its territory or the wider Pacific. That is in keeping with Mr Rabuka's "Ocean of Peace" proposal, a vision for a peaceful and collaborative region that the veteran prime minister hopes to codify at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in September. Australia has offered support for that proposal when it comes before the region's leaders at the annual summit, to be hosted in the Solomon Islands. Senator Wong and Pacific island Minister Pat Conroy, said Australia had also agreed to explore further co-operation with Fiji on several other areas. That includes developing a "modern, cyber-secure border management system", co-operation on transnational crime and policing. Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's week-long visit to Australia has borne fruit, with Anthony Albanese's government agreeing to bolster aid by tens of millions to the Pacific nation. Australia has agreed to a fresh commitment of $52 million of support, with a focus on border security, taking commitments to the Melanesian nation to just under $500 million over the next four years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also announced a deepening of policing and security ties, including officers and advisers to be embedded in Fijian operations. "Australia and Fiji are taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific," Senator Wong said. The border security funding of $12 million will "strengthen border security by improving shipping container screening at Lautoka and Suva Ports". It's hoped this will tackle the growing illicit drugs crisis in Fiji, with the regional hub increasingly used by trafficking cartels as a gateway to the lucrative Australian market. Mr Rabuka arrived in Canberra last week, meeting with governor-general Sam Mostyn before a series of meetings with Australian officials, including Mr Albanese. He addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday, calling for a deepening of defence ties and raised the prospect of Fijian soldiers serving in the the Australian Defence Forces. He rebuked China's security ambitions for the region, saying Fiji would not welcome a military base in its territory or the wider Pacific. That is in keeping with Mr Rabuka's "Ocean of Peace" proposal, a vision for a peaceful and collaborative region that the veteran prime minister hopes to codify at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in September. Australia has offered support for that proposal when it comes before the region's leaders at the annual summit, to be hosted in the Solomon Islands. Senator Wong and Pacific island Minister Pat Conroy, said Australia had also agreed to explore further co-operation with Fiji on several other areas. That includes developing a "modern, cyber-secure border management system", co-operation on transnational crime and policing.
Perth Now
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Australia to grow Fiji ties after Rabuka visit
Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's week-long visit to Australia has borne fruit, with Anthony Albanese's government agreeing to bolster aid by tens of millions to the Pacific nation. Australia has agreed to a fresh commitment of $52 million of support, with a focus on border security, taking commitments to the Melanesian nation to just under $500 million over the next four years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also announced a deepening of policing and security ties, including officers and advisers to be embedded in Fijian operations. "Australia and Fiji are taking steps to formally elevate and deepen the Vuvale Partnership as we work together to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific," Senator Wong said. The border security funding of $12 million will "strengthen border security by improving shipping container screening at Lautoka and Suva Ports". It's hoped this will tackle the growing illicit drugs crisis in Fiji, with the regional hub increasingly used by trafficking cartels as a gateway to the lucrative Australian market. Mr Rabuka arrived in Canberra last week, meeting with governor-general Sam Mostyn before a series of meetings with Australian officials, including Mr Albanese. He addressed the National Press Club on Wednesday, calling for a deepening of defence ties and raised the prospect of Fijian soldiers serving in the the Australian Defence Forces. He rebuked China's security ambitions for the region, saying Fiji would not welcome a military base in its territory or the wider Pacific. That is in keeping with Mr Rabuka's "Ocean of Peace" proposal, a vision for a peaceful and collaborative region that the veteran prime minister hopes to codify at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in September. Australia has offered support for that proposal when it comes before the region's leaders at the annual summit, to be hosted in the Solomon Islands. Senator Wong and Pacific island Minister Pat Conroy, said Australia had also agreed to explore further co-operation with Fiji on several other areas. That includes developing a "modern, cyber-secure border management system", co-operation on transnational crime and policing.
Asahi Shimbun
5 days ago
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
Fiji says China military base not welcome as Pacific islands steer between superpowers
Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka arrives at the Great Hall of the People for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Aug. 20, 2024. (Pool via REUTERS) SYDNEY--Fiji is opposed to China setting up a military base in the Pacific Islands, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said on Wednesday, adding that it did not need such a base to project power, as shown by an intercontinental ballistic missile test. Strategically placed between the United States and Asia, the Pacific Islands are a focus of rivalry between Washington and Beijing for security ties. The islands were trying to cope with a big, powerful China seeking to spread its influence, Rabuka told the National Press Club in the Australian capital, adding that Beijing understood he would lobby other Pacific leaders against such a base. 'Pacific leaders in all their recent discussions have tried to go for policies that are friendly to all and enemies to none - and it is a fairly tough course to steer, but it is possible,' he added. The Pacific would feel the impact of any conflict over the Taiwan Strait between major powers, a possibility already being planned for by China and other nations, he said. Fiji opposes establishment of a military base by China, he said, in response to queries on Beijing's security ambitions in a region where it already has a security pact with the Solomon Islands and a police presence in several nations. 'If they want to come, who would welcome them?' he said. 'Not Fiji.' China's embassy in Fiji did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Beijing has previously ruled out establishing a military base in the Solomon Islands. China did not need a base to project power, Rabuka added, as Beijing tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in September that flew over Fiji to land in international waters. China showed off its coast guard to 10 visiting leaders of Pacific islands in May, after registering two dozen of its vessels with a regional fisheries commission last year, though it has yet to start South Pacific patrols. China's coast guard would need to 'observe our sovereignty, our sovereign waters', Rabuka said. Fiji's cooperation with China to develop infrastructure should not affect how it interacts with Australia, New Zealand and the United States, he added. To manage strategic competition in the region, Rabuka is trying to build support for an Ocean of Peace treaty to ensure outsiders respect its unity and the 'rejection of coercion as a means to achieve security, economic or political advantage.' Leaders of the 18 members of the Pacific Islands Forum will consider the pact at a meeting in September.
Epoch Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
While Australia Debates, Fiji Bets on Nuclear Ships to Power Islands and Cut Emissions
Imagine a fleet of nuclear powered vessels patrolling the vast oceans around Fiji by day, and by night docking in a nearby town, plugging into the local electricity grid, and powering thousands of homes and facilities. That's the vision the Fijian government is embarking on in backing the Ocean of Peace vessel, which will carry its own mini-reactor and is estimated to save billions, while cutting down pollution from its diesel powered fleets. Fiji is the first to adopt micro modular nuclear reactor (MMR) technology to provide the country with electricity, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said. The technology will be sourced from Deployable Energy of Houston, Texas, and will initially be installed on the ship, Ocean of Peace, but can be rolled out across other vessels in future. Seatransport of Queensland and Lloyds Register are also involved in the project. The three companies recently signed a formal agreement to develop the 73-metre amphibious vessel, designed for emergency response and disaster relief duties in remote areas, with two to five MMRs of 1 megawatt (MW) capacity aboard. They are planned to be deployed throughout the Pacific. An artist's impression of a marine power station using a small modular reactor (SMR) manufactured by Prodigy Clean Energy. Courtesy Seatransport, Prodigy Clean Energy and Lloyd's Register. For Fiji, MMR will gradually replace the importation of petrols, which already costs Fiji over $1 billion a year, in addition to the expense of distributing power to remote parts of the country. Related Stories 4/10/2025 3/26/2025 Micro-reactors are 100 to 1,000 times smaller than conventional nuclear reactors and range in capacity from 1 to 20 MW. A 20 MW power source can potentially power around 16,500 average Western homes, though in Fiji, at least initially, the usage per household is likely to be lower, meaning more homes could benefit. In a statement, Rabuka said the time had come for the creative use of technology to make Fijian life cleaner and provide power at lower costs. 'At that point, the initial diesel engines would be replaced by an MMR, which would not require refuelling for 10 years,' he said. 'The MMR power could be deployed on the Ocean of Peace ship and other vessels and used for emergency response and long-term power supply to Fijian communities at far lower costs than the present diesel-powered electricity generation. 'All alternatives were being investigated, and the new, safe nuclear technologies of MMRs appeared to be within cost and emissions targets.' Rabuka is also revitalising the local shipbuilding industry to address skills shortages. A new shipyard in Lautoka will train steel and aluminium welders, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, draftsmen, technicians, and administrators. Small modular reactors (SMRs) and Micro Modular Reactors (MMRs) work by using nuclear fission to generate heat, which is then used to produce electricity through a steam turbine. The reactor core is surrounded by a thick shield to protect workers and the environment from radiation. The core also contains fuel rods made of uranium or other fissile materials. As the fuel undergoes fission, it releases energy in the form of heat, which is then transferred to a coolant that circulates through the reactor. The coolant is typically water or a liquid metal, such as sodium or lead, which absorbs the heat and transfers it to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger then transfers the heat to a secondary coolant, which is used to generate steam and produce electricity. This image is a work of an employee of the Government Accountability Office, made as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain in the United States. Float, Plug, and Play Stuart Ballantyne, executive chair of Seatransport, told The Epoch Times that MMR technology had applications right across the Pacific, and even in remote Australia. For island nations, he says, simply tying the ship up each night and plugging it into the grid will save around 5 million litres of diesel a year. Seatransport Executive Chairman Stuart Ballantyne (L) with Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka (R). Courtesy Seatransport. 'It's technology that's already in use in West Africa, installed by Russia, he says. 'When the ship comes in and plugs in, the converter buildings are already attached to the local grid. And it makes a lot of sense. 'They had an old coal-fired power station that was at the end of its life; they replaced a couple of old things and just plugged in this floating nuclear power plant. And when that power plant dies, in about 30 or 40 years, they will just float another one in and plug it in. I mean, it's pretty simple.' No Light Bulb Moment for Australian Energy Discussion In comparison, Ballantyne was critical of the current discourse around energy in Australia. 'It's better to stick something on a truck like [an] MMR, and just have your own little system. [But] what they're making you do at the moment in Queensland ... you must pay $250 to $300 million for the the renewables transmission lines to come out [to the] mine.' That would make the mine unaffordable, he said. 'Such is the level of stupidity in Australia at the moment, because they're not even thinking about anything else now [other than renewables].' 'I think that there's over 32 countries that are now using nuclear and another 30 that are seriously looking at it, including PNG, so I think they're going to leave New Zealand and Australia behind, to be honest,' Ballantyne said, noting that calls for 'zero emissions' while ignoring the potential of nuclear was contradictory. He believes Australians would support the use of small and micro reactors, even if the Coalition's large-scale reactors prove unfeasible. 'The latest polls indicate that 82 percent of Australians want this technology,' Ballantyne claims. He said current moves to implement net zero was creating 'huge wealth for China [through] the purchase of millions of solar panels and millions of these wind turbines.' 'Then there's the massive tracts of land, 28,000 kilometres, for the transmission lines. They don't care about the environment. They're just bulldozing the whole lot. They don't care and seem to have given this exemption because they're so focused on [renewables].' New Safety Features Include Self Propelled Reactors And the presence of small reactors floating around in the Pacific shouldn't be cause for concern, Ballantyne says, because safety technology has significantly advanced since the days of Three Mile Island or even Fukushima. 'These new ones that you're talking about, even if it sank and the ship exploded, one of the MMR producers in the United States has got their MMR to come up to a depth of about 25 metres below this surface, and self-propel to a predetermined latitude and longitude.'
