Overview

• On August 11, Defence Minister Richard Marles, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy set off on coordinated visits to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Fiji.
• In Port Moresby, Marles will meet Prime Minister James Marape and Deputy John Rosso to finalise negotiations on the bilateral defence treaty announced in February.
• In Vanuatu, the ministers will advance the Nakamal Agreement on infrastructure, economic development and climate resilience during talks on Tanna island.
• Senator Wong will represent Australia at the Pacific Islands Forum foreign ministers meeting in Suva to advocate deeper regional unity and cooperation.
• The outreach reflects Australia’s effort to balance US alliance commitments, respond to AUKUS review pressures and build autonomous defence capabilities as China-US strategic rivalry intensifies.