China warns Australia against 'geopolitical games' after Vanuatu security deal

BEIJING: China warned Australia against playing “geopolitical games” on Monday after Canberra signed a sweeping economic and security pact with Vanuatu that bars the establishment of a military base in the Pacific nation.

“We hope that the relevant countries will carry out cooperation with Pacific island countries that is truly conducive to the development and stability of the island nations region,” foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular news briefing.

“They should not target third parties and should not use this to engage in geopolitical games,” he said when asked about the deal.

Australia and Vanuatu signed an economic and security agreement on Monday that bars any foreign military base on the Pacific island.

Vanuatu is at the centre of strategic rivalry between China and US allies in the South Pacific, and Australia has expressed concern that Beijing is seeking a permanent security presence in the region.

The agreement was signed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Vanuatu counterpart Jotham Napat in Canberra.

It commits Australia to greater economic support for Vanuatu, whose largest external creditor is China, and stops a foreign military power establishing a base there.

China’s navy has made repeated port calls to Vanuatu.

Beijing also funded the expansion of a wharf in Luganville, once the largest US military base in the South Pacific, fuelling concern in Canberra and Washington that China wanted a navy base.

China and Vanuatu previously said the wharf was for cruise ships.