Australia Closes Door to Chinese Bases in Vanuatu

Australia and Vanuatu signed a security agreement on June 29 barring foreign military bases on Vanuatu's territory. The pact directly counters a scenario that has shaped Australian strategy since 2022—when China secured a security framework with Solomon Islands, raising the prospect of a Chinese naval foothold within striking distance of Australia's northeast coast. Vanuatu's ports carry logistical weight in contested Pacific maritime access.