Vanuatu's prime minister has rejected media reports that his government is poised to sign a security pact with China, insisting the proposed Namele Agreement is a development cooperation deal — a denial that has intensified scrutiny of parallel negotiations with Australia.
Prime Minister Jotham Napat called suggestions of a China security arrangement “untrue” and “grossly misguided,” and said the Namele Agreement is a “comprehensive development cooperation agreement.” Napat added that Vanuatu’s foreign relationships are “not exclusive” and asserted firmly, “Vanuatu will decide what is good for Vanuatu. We will not be dictated to.” He also told officials the talks with Australia were “not at all linked to China,” as both sides press ahead with separate diplomatic efforts.
The denials come as Australia seeks to finalise its own landmark pact with Vanuatu, the Nakamal Agreement, described by Canberra as a combined security and development arrangement. Tension flared after local reporting that Australian officials in Port Vila were alarmed the China-Vanuatu talks might include security elements — a prospect Canberra has publicly flagged as a concern for the region. Australia’s Pacific Minister Pat Conroy told reporters there was a “daily contest for influence” in the Pacific but declined to comment on the specific substance of the Namele talks.
A diplomat from a third country, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested Australia’s choice to raise its concerns publicly indicates genuine worry in Canberra about the potential implications of any security dimensions in the Namele pact. Those concerns add a fresh layer of complexity to already delicate negotiations over the Nakamal Agreement: officials in Vanuatu previously resisted signing a draft last year after balking at wording intended to limit China’s security role in the region.
Both China and Australia have moved to distance themselves from the more alarming interpretations. The Chinese embassy in Vanuatu issued its own denial, saying cooperation with Port Vila focuses on infrastructure and capacity building rather than security arrangements. Australian officials, while continuing to press for clarity, have emphasised the bilateral Nakamal talks are aimed at strengthening Vanuatu’s development and security institutions.
Analysts warn the public dispute could slow or complicate the Nakamal negotiations, which have faced hurdles over language and sovereignty sensitivities. Negotiators must balance Canberra’s desire to ensure that any pact does not enable a third power to gain a military foothold, with Port Vila’s insistence on exercising sovereign choice over which partners it engages and on what terms.
For now, Vanuatu officials say they remain engaged with Australia on the Nakamal Agreement and are working to finalise the bilateral accord. The latest denials from Napat and the Chinese embassy shift the debate away from an imminent security arrangement with Beijing, but they also underline the geopolitical tug-of-war playing out in the Pacific as regional capitals and outside powers vie for influence.
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