Port Vila, Vanuatu – 21st April, 2026 — Today’s Daily Post report suggesting Vanuatu may be moving toward a security agreement with China was grossly misguided and inaccurate.
The agreement being discussed between Vanuatu and the People’s Republic of China is not a security agreement. It is a comprehensive development cooperation agreement between Vanuatu and one of its key long-standing partners.
Cooperation with China, as with all our partners, focuses on infrastructure development, capacity building, and economic support — areas critical to the development priorities of Vanuatu. As the Chinese Embassy has correctly stated, this cooperation strictly follows the principle of respect for sovereignty and independence of Vanuatu.
Vanuatu has maintained its long-term position as a non-aligned country and we will continue to be friends to all. That position has not changed. We value all our partnerships with Australia, China, and all our development partners who respect our sovereignty.
Vanuatu will decide what is good for Vanuatu. We will not be dictated to. Our foreign policy is guided by our national interests, not by external speculation or pressure.
Suggestions that our partnerships could affect visa arrangements or other bilateral matters are unhelpful and not a cultural reflection of Nakamal values. Vanuatu’s relationships are not exclusive. We engage with multiple partners because, as a Small Island Developing State (SID), we must pursue all avenues for development that deliver for our people.
As previously stated by Government, delays in finalising the Nakamal Agreement with Australia are not at all linked to China. Officials are continuing close engagement to ensure any agreement with any partner reflects Vanuatu’s interests as high priority in ensuring its longevity.