China visit won’t make waves on Pacific regional security, says Fiji PM Rabuka

Aug 12 (Reuters) – Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka on Monday headed on his first visit to China as leader, where he said he would view poverty reduction programmes but would not “upset the apple cart” on regional security in the Pacific.

Rabuka will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on the last two days of his tour, which runs from Aug. 12 to Aug. 21, he said in an ABC radio interview.

China and the U.S. are competing for influence in the strategically-located Pacific Islands, and the trip takes place two weeks before Pacific Islands Forum leaders meet to consider an Australia-backed regional policing proposal.

Rabuka, who became prime minister in 2022, has proposed an “Ocean of Peace” foreign policy to Pacific leaders that envisions engagement with all major powers and avoids militarisation of the islands region.

“There should not be any fear that my visit to China will upset the apple cart as far as stability in the Pacific is concerned – economic, military, security,” he said in the interview with ABC radio’s Pacific Beat.

Rabuka said he would look at China’s agriculture and fisheries programmes.

“Their programmes to alleviate poverty will be a great lesson for everyone,” he said.

Fiji is one of the few Pacific Island nations with a military. It struck a policing cooperation agreement with China a decade ago under the previous government.

Rabuka has ended the practice of embedding Chinese police with Fiji’s forces, and in June announced a “police force reset” that will see greater support from Australia, its major aid donor, as it seeks to crack down on drug smuggling.

After meeting Xi on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November, Rabuka told parliament that Fiji was likely to collaborate with China on a key port modernisation and shipyard project.

He later announced Fiji will strike a deal with Australia to upgrade ports and shipbuilding infrastructure.

Fiji has external debt equivalent to 56% of gross domestic product, which includes FJD$375 million ($167 million) of Chinese bank loans taken out almost a decade ago to fund roads and other construction.

“We cannot borrow to become embroiled in debt servicing later on,” he said on Monday.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Sonali Paul)