Vanuatu-Australia security pact bans ‘foreign’ military bases

Australia and Vanuatu have signed a comprehensive economic and security agreement. This pact explicitly prohibits the establishment of any foreign military base on Vanuatu. The agreement comes amid heightened strategic competition in the South Pacific between China and US allies, with Australia concerned about China's potential pursuit of a permanent security presence in the region. Under the terms of the deal, Australia will provide increased economic support to Vanuatu, which is notably Vanuatu's largest external creditor. The agreement effectively prevents foreign military powers from establishing a base on the island.