Australia and Fiji signed a major defense treaty on Monday, bolstering ties as Canberra seeks to outmaneuver China in the South Pacific.

The Ocean of Peace pact elevates Fiji to one of Australia¡¯s few treaty allies and binds each nation to come to the other¡¯s ¡°mutual defense.¡±

China sent waves through the region in 2022 when it signed a secretive security pact with the Solomon Islands, stoking fears it could one day lead to a permanent military presence.