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News.com.au
23-07-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Over 80 per cent of Tuvalu seeks Australian climate visa as rising seas lap at nation's shores
The number of applications for a landmark climate visa to live in Australia are rising rapidly in the tiny island nation of Tuvalu, as ominously rising seas lap at its shores. More than 80 per cent of Pacific nation Tuvalu's population is now seeking refuge Down Under. Australia is offering visas to Tuvalu citizens each year under a climate migration deal Canberra has billed as 'the first agreement of its kind anywhere in the world'. 'We received extremely high levels of interest in the ballot with 8,750 registrations, which includes family members of primary registrants,' the Australian high commission in Tuvalu said in a statement. The figure is equal to 82 per cent of the country's 10,643 population, according to census figures collected in 2022. 'With 280 visas offered this program year, it means that many will miss out,' the commission said. One of the most climate-threatened corners of the planet, scientists fear Tuvalu will be uninhabitable within the next 80 years. Two of the archipelago's nine coral atolls have already largely disappeared under the waves. The figures were released hours before a landmark decision by the world's top court in The Hague laying out what legal obligations countries have to prevent climate change and whether polluters should pay up for the consequences. The case, which has been brought by Pacific nations, could reshape climate justice, with major impacts on laws around the world. 'First agreement of its kind' Australia and Tuvalu signed the groundbreaking Falepili Union in 2024, part of Canberra's efforts to blunt China's expanding reach in the region. Under that pact, Australia opened a new visa category specially set aside for citizens of Tuvalu who will be selected at random. 'Australia recognises the devastating impact climate change is having on the livelihoods, security, and wellbeing of climate vulnerable countries and people, particularly in the Pacific region,' Australia's foreign affairs department told AFP last month. 'This is the first agreement of its kind anywhere in the world, providing a pathway for mobility with dignity as climate impacts worsen.' It will also provide Tuvaluans the choice to live, study and work in Australia. Tuvalu citizens, including those living outside the country, were eligible to be included in the ballot if they are aged over 18 and pay a A$25 fee (US$16). The visa deal has been hailed as a landmark response to the looming challenge of climate-forced migration. The Falepili pact commits Australia to defending Tuvalu in the face of natural disasters, health pandemics and 'military aggression'. 'For the first time, there is a country that has committed legally to come to the aid of Tuvalu, upon request, when Tuvalu encounters a major natural disaster, a health pandemic or military aggression,' Tuvalu Prime Minister Feleti Teo said at the time. 'Again, for the first time there is a country that has committed legally to recognise the future statehood and sovereignty of Tuvalu despite the detrimental impact of climate changed-induced sea level rise.' The agreement also gives Australia a say in any other defence pacts Tuvalu signs with other countries, raising concerns at the time that the Pacific nation was handing over its sovereignty. Tuvalu is one of just 12 states that still have formal diplomatic relations with Taipei rather than Beijing. — with Brendan Kearns, AFP
RNZ News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Fiji's PM Sitiveni Rabuka says China's military bases are 'not welcome' in the Pacific
By Stephen Dziedzic , ABC News Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Photo: X / @slrabuka Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has delivered a blow to China's security ambitions in the Pacific, declaring his country would "not welcome" any Chinese military bases in the region. But Rabuka has also stressed he doesn't believe that China is actively looking for such a security foothold in the Pacific - saying the rising power doesn't need it to project power. Sitiveni Rabuka was repeatedly pressed about China's role in the Pacific in the wake of his speech to the National Press Club in Canberra today. Rabuka didn't mince words when he was asked if he believed that Beijing should be permitted to establish a military base in the Pacific. "Who would welcome them?" he asked rhetorically. "Not Fiji." The prime minister also gave a direct answer when asked if he would use his influence in the broader region to stop China gaining a military base. "As long as I'm prime minister, yes," he said. "And I think that China understands that well." Rabuka also said earlier that Pacific nations were trying to "cope with a China that is big, really big" and which would "probably like to spread its influence" in the region. He said that meant that Pacific nations which were "friendly to all and enemies to none" had a "fairly tough course to steer". But he also praised Xi Jinping as a "great leader" who had lifted China out of poverty, and told the Press Club that he didn't believe China was actively searching for a military base in Pacific island nations. "They have proven that they do not need a base outside China to be able to launch what they have into any other area of the world," he said. "So they can go east of China and far and go as far east to America as they like, or go west and go to the furthest point in Europe if they like, so there is really no need for them to set up any other bases in the Pacific." Sitiveni Rabuka. Photo: Fiji Government That runs counter to Australian government assessments, which warn that China is seeking a security foothold in the Pacific - potentially through "dual use" infrastructure projects which could be used for military purposes. The Pacific Minister Pat Conroy has repeatedly said publicly that Beijing is seeking a security "presence" in the region, including through its attempts to expand police cooperation in the Pacific. Mihai Sora from the Lowy Institute said that while Canberra would welcome Rabuka's clear statement about a Chinese military base, the prime minister's statements showed he was not on the same page as Australia when it came to Beijing's objectives. "My takeaway was that the prime minister fundamentally does not want to recognise China's strategic intent." "Despite earlier acknowledging China's designs to increase influence, he doesn't connect that influence with seeking greater military access," he said. "Australia still needs to do far more to achieve alignment in strategic world views, even… among our closest Pacific security partners." Rabuka also said he would like to explore signing a new overarching agreement with Australia, saying the relationship may have "reached a poin … where our renewed and elevated partnership needs to step up to an agreement or treaty". The Albanese government has signed a slew of new strategic agreements with Pacific nations like Tuvalu, Nauru and Papua New Guinea, and is exploring new pacts with Tonga and Vanuatu. Rabuka did not provide detail about how a new agreement could work, but said it would allow Australia to expand assistance to Fiji and help the relationship withstand the "political whims of the winning parties in the various elections, because there will be national treaties between sovereign states". He also provided more detail about his framework for an 'Ocean of Peace' - which he plans to bring to other Pacific leaders at a high-level meeting in Solomon Islands in September. Rabuka said the strategy would enshrine peaceful cooperation and respect for international law at its heart, and allow the Pacific to "set out how we expect those outside the region to respect our approaches, and participate with us". "This means respect for the Pacific way," he said. "Respect for norms and law. No coercion." - ABC News
LBCI
31-05-2025
- General
- LBCI
Australia's Defense Minister urges greater military openness from China
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles on Saturday urged greater transparency from China over its military modernization and deployments as Pacific nations brace for a more assertive Chinese presence. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue defense meeting in Singapore, Marles said that while China remains an important strategic partner to Australia, more open communication between the two nations is key for a "productive" relationship. "When you look at the growth in the Chinese military that has happened without a strategic reassurance, or a strategic would like to have a greater transparency in what China is seeking to do in not only its build up, but in the exercises that it undertakes," said Marles. Reuters
Al Arabiya
31-05-2025
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Australia's defense minister urges greater military openness from China
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles on Saturday urged greater transparency from China over its military modernization and deployments as Pacific nations brace for a more assertive Chinese presence. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue defense meeting in Singapore, Marles said that while China remains an important strategic partner to Australia, more open communication between the two nations is key for a 'productive' relationship. 'When you look at the growth in the Chinese military that has happened without a strategic reassurance, or a strategic transparency.... we would like to have a greater transparency in what China is seeking to do in not only its build up, but in the exercises that it undertakes,' said Marles. 'We want to have the most productive relationship with China that we can have ... we hope that in the context of that productive relationship, we can see greater transparency and greater communication between our two countries in respect of our defense.' Both Australia and New Zealand raised concerns in February after three Chinese warships conducted unprecedented live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea. Both nations complained of late notice over the drills by China, which led to the diversion of 49 commercial flights. Marles said that while the drills were in accordance with international law, China should have been less disruptive. He also said Australia was able to closely scrutinize the Chinese task-force. 'It's fair to say that this was done in a bigger way than they have done before, but equally, that was meant from our point of view, by a much greater degree of surveillance than we've ever done,' he said. 'From the moment that Chinese warships came within the vicinity of Australia, they were being tailed and tracked by Australian assets ... we were very clear about what exercises China was undertaking and what capability they were seeking to exercise and to build.' Chinese officials have signaled that more such exercises could be expected as it was routine naval activity in international waters. Defense analysts say the exercises underscore Beijing's ambition to develop a global navy that will be able to project power into the region more frequently. Australia has in recent times pledged to boost its missile defense capability amid China's nuclear weapons buildup and its blue-water naval expansion, as the country targets to increase its defense spending from roughly 2 percent of GDP currently to 2.4 percent by the early 2030s. The nation is scheduled to pay the United States $2 billion by the end of 2025 to assist its submarine shipyards, in order to buy three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines starting in 2032 - its biggest ever defense project.
CNA
31-05-2025
- General
- CNA
Australia's defence minister urges greater military openness from China
SINGAPORE: Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles on Saturday (May 31) urged greater transparency from China over its military modernisation and deployments as Pacific nations brace for a more assertive Chinese presence. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue defence meeting in Singapore, Marles said that while China remains an important strategic partner to Australia, more open communication between the two nations is key for a "productive" relationship. "When you look at the growth in the Chinese military that has happened without a strategic reassurance, or a strategic transparency ... we would like to have a greater transparency in what China is seeking to do in not only its build up, but in the exercises that it undertakes," said Marles. "We want to have the most productive relationship with China that we can have ... we hope that in the context of that productive relationship, we can see greater transparency and greater communication between our two countries in respect of our defence." Both Australia and New Zealand raised concerns in February after three Chinese warships conducted unprecedented live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea. Both nations complained of late notice over the drills by China, which led to the diversion of 49 commercial flights. Marles said that while the drills were in accordance with international law, China should have been less disruptive. He also said Australia was able to closely scrutinise the Chinese task force. "It's fair to say that this was done in a bigger way than they have done before, but equally, that was meant from our point of view, by a much greater degree of surveillance than we've ever done," he said. "From the moment that Chinese warships came within the vicinity of Australia, they were being tailed and tracked by Australian assets ... we were very clear about what exercises China was undertaking and what capability they were seeking to exercise and to build." Chinese officials have signalled that more such exercises could be expected as it was routine naval activity in international waters. Defence analysts say the exercises underscore Beijing's ambition to develop a global navy that will be able to project power into the region more frequently. Australia has in recent times pledged to boost its missile defence capability amid China's nuclear weapons buildup and its blue-water naval expansion, as the country targets to increase its defence spending from roughly 2 per cent of GDP currently to 2.4 per cent by the early 2030s. The nation is scheduled to pay the United States US$2 billion by the end of 2025 to assist its submarine shipyards, in order to buy three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines starting in 2032 - its biggest defence project.
