Wellington’s four-month diplomatic blitz aims to lock down regional allies as Washington’s commitment wavers
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenMaria SiowPublished: 9:00am, 2 Aug 2026New Zealand’s defence diplomacy has shifted into overdrive this year, with Wellington sealing three major Pacific security agreements in less than four months.Since April, the country has signed a defence pact with Papua New Guinea, locked in a security declaration with the Cook Islands and floated the idea of joining a fledgling Australia-Fiji defence alliance.Analysts say the common thread is China and concerns about its expanding security and policing links in the Pacific.
“Security agreements and treaties in the Pacific are attempts to ensure that China is unable to establish security agreements with Pacific states,” said Estelle Denton-Townshend, a teaching fellow in international security at the University of Waikato.
The latest came on July 22 in Port Moresby, where New Zealand’s Defence Minister Chris Penk and his Papua New Guinea counterpart, Elias Kapavore, signed an agreement to expand joint maritime surveillance, military exercises and personnel exchanges.
“In an increasingly volatile world, Pacific nations like ours are stronger when we work closely together,” Penk said in a statement.
