Fiji is currently not facing any direct external military threats or fears of invasion; however, the country is concerned about potential instability, division, and insecurity in the region. This was emphasized in the Foreign Policy White Paper 2024, presented by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva.
The report underscores that maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific region is Fiji’s top strategic priority. It highlights that one significant challenge in the Indo-Pacific is the need to establish a stable balance that can effectively address the strategic competition between the US and China, while also supporting the transition towards a more stable multipolar environment in the long run.
The document notes that achieving this balance will likely take multiple generations. The Indo-Pacific region witnesses the intersection of interests from superpowers, major powers, and smaller nations, which calls for diplomatic arrangements that do not force countries into a rigid strategic framework, such as a bipolar system.
It advocates for a multipolar region with adaptable structures that carefully balance interests and share strategic space, although the report acknowledges that this goal is still a way off. Currently, power dynamics in the Indo-Pacific lean towards a bipolar distribution, with a significant gap between the US and China compared to major powers like India, Indonesia, and Japan.
Looking ahead, the report suggests that the distribution of power may eventually become more dispersed, allowing more nations the flexibility to operate within a complex strategic landscape without being solely aligned with one dominant power. This represents the essence of a multipolar system.