Australian Deputy PM to Visit Kiribati After Diplomatic Ban

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles speaks to the media at Government House in Auckland, New Zealand, on Dec. 6, 2024. Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles will travel to Kiribati this week, marking the first visit of an Australian minister to the Pacific Island country in two years.

This comes after Kiribati lifted a temporary ban on foreign diplomatic trips following the reelection of the pro-CCP (Chinese Communist Party) President Taneti Maamau in October 2024.

During his trip, Marles will hold high-level talks with Vice-President Teuea Toatu on economic, development, and strategic priorities, as well as marine security.

The deputy prime minister will also attend the commissioning of the Guardian-class patrol boat RKS Tobwaan Mainiku, which was handed over to the Kiribati government in 2024.

This will be the second patrol boat to enter service in Kiribati, supported by the Australian government through the Pacific Maritime Security Program.

In addition, Marles will open the Australian High Commission Chancery in Tarawa, which facilitates the exchange between the two countries.

“Australia deeply values our relationship with Kiribati and our close cooperation on maritime security, which dates back more than three decades,” the deputy prime minister said in a statement.

“We are continuing our enduring partnership by delivering a second Guardian-class patrol boat to the Government of Kiribati, as agreed by Prime Minister Albanese and President Maamau in December 2023.”

Kiribati is the sixth most populous Pacific Island country, with a population of around 130,000 people.

While the country’s total area is only 810 square kilometres, it has an exclusive economic zone of around 3.5 million square kilometres—one of the largest in the world.

The CCP has targeted Kiribati due to the latter’s size and resources, according to the United States Institute of Peace.

The think tank also noted that the CCP wants to gain a U.N. vote and reinforce its claim on Taiwan by exerting influence on the Pacific Island country.

In September 2019, Kiribati severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in exchange for CCP’s financial aid.

It was reported that Kiribati received US$161 million ($260 million) in Chinese aid in the following two years.

Marles’s Trip to Solomon Islands

Marles will also make his third trip to the Solomon Islands and meet with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele to discuss cooperation.

Manele came into power after winning against former leader Manasseh Sogavare in the 2024 election.

The latter was a CCP supporter and had drawn the Solomon Islands close to China during his terms.

In 2022, Sogavare alarmed the region when signing a security pact with the CCP, allowing the communist regime to expand its influence in the Pacific.

Marles’s visit comes after the Australian government announced its support for the Pacific Island to expand its police force in December 2024.

“I look forward to meeting with Prime Minister Manele again in Honiara to build on discussions about the strong and enduring partnership between our two nations,” he said.

“Australia is a steadfast security partner for Solomon Islands and is committed to supporting their ambition to grow the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force as its security partner of choice.”