Overview

• Pacific Minister Pat Conroy said officials are engaging Nauru to assess whether the August 5 agreement with a Chinese state‑linked firm triggers treaty obligations.
• Nauru announced a multi‑phase development deal with the China Rural Revitalisation and Development Corporation, covering renewable energy, phosphate, fisheries and sea infrastructure, signed in Beijing by Foreign Minister Lionel Aingimea.
• Media reports differ on the deal’s value, citing US$650 million in one report and about $1 billion in another.
• The treaty requires Nauru to seek Australia’s agreement on maritime security, defence and policing accords and to consult on access to ports, airfields and the banking sector.
• In return, Australia committed $100 million in budget support, $40 million for policing and banking assistance, and Conroy said regional security should be provided by Pacific Islands Forum members.