Australia Hails Security Pact With Tuvalu
Australia's foreign minister, Penny Wong, has hailed the country's new security pact with Tuvalu, calling it the most important step any Australian government has taken in the Pacific since the independence of Papua New Guinea.
Transcript
00:00 Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has praised a recent security pact signed between
00:05 her country and Tuvalu, hailing it as an important step towards ensuring security in the region.
00:12 This agreement with Tuvalu is the most important step any Australian government has taken in
00:16 the Pacific since the independence of Papua New Guinea.
00:20 So I think we should understand what it means and understand also the foresight of the government
00:26 of Tuvalu in seeking it.
00:29 As Prime Minister Netano said, this is a giant leap forward in our joint mission to assure
00:35 security, prosperity and stability in the region.
00:39 The security agreement with the Pacific Islands nation and Australia was announced on Friday.
00:45 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says it guarantees Australian military support
00:49 for Tuvalu.
00:50 The deal also helps tackle the effects of climate change on Tuvalu and makes it easier
00:55 for its people to migrate to Australia.
00:57 It comes as China expands its influence in the region with Beijing signing a security
01:02 deal with the Solomon Islands.