WELLINGTON — New Zealand is weighing whether to become a member of a newly formed defence alliance between Australia and Fiji, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced Thursday.
Australia and Fiji formalized the agreement, known as the Ocean of Peace Alliance, on Monday. Under the treaty, each country pledges to assist the other if either faces an attack, as Australia seeks to push back against China’s expanding presence in the region.
The alliance is a historic first for Fiji, which has never before entered a formal military pact. For Australia, Fiji becomes its fourth official ally, joining the United States, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. The agreement also includes a provision allowing other Pacific nations to become members.
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters noted in a statement that Pacific leaders have long followed a principle of allowing Pacific nations to lead responses to regional security matters — and said this alliance reinforces that tradition.
“Elevating our long-standing relationship with Australia and Fiji — and other Pacific nations — to the next level through an alliance would mean we become even closer partners,” Peters said.
At present, New Zealand counts only Australia as a formal ally, though it participates in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network and maintains a close partnership with NATO.
According to the statement, the New Zealand government will now open discussions with Australia and Fiji about the possibility of joining, with any official decision ultimately resting with the cabinet.
The announcement comes in the wake of China’s military test-firing of a missile launched from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean on Monday — a move that has drawn expressions of concern from leaders throughout the region.
