Penny Wong says Australia’s deepening defence ties with the Pacific – including the nation’s fourth-only alliance recently signed with Fiji – “is all about more security for Australia” and its people after China launched a test missile in the Pacific only hours after the deal with Suva was signed. The Foreign Minister arrived in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara alongside Anthony Albanese on Tuesday after a one-day visit to Fiji during which the Prime Minister signed the so-called Ocean of Peace alliance with Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.Under the deal, the two nations will “consult” on whether action should be taken if either country’s “sovereignty, peace, or stability” is threatened and requires both nations to recognise an armed attack on any nation within the Pacific would be “dangerous to each other’s peace … and declares that it would act to meet the common danger”.The separate Vuvale Union, also signed on Monday, seeks to rule out third-party military bases in the Pacific.However, fanfare around the dual signings was somewhat curtailed on Monday afternoon after it was revealed China had test fired a ballistic missile in the Pacific.Australia views itself as being in a “permanent contest” with China for influence in the Pacific region, though Mr Rabuka has dismissed concerns his country’s alliance with Australia would anger Beijing. Speaking to ABC Radio National, Senator Wong said China’s test was “destabilising for the region and raises the risk of miscalculation”. “We do not believe this test is consistent with the view that Pacific leaders have very clearly expressed that the Pacific should be an ocean of peace,” she said.Asked if the alliance, as well as other deals with regional neighbours, might antagonise China, Senator Wong said “we live in contested times”.“The question that confronts Australian leaders (and) Pacific leaders is what do we do?” she said.“What do we have to do to better most assure peace and stability for all our peoples?“We do that by working to ensure that our futures are determined by the region. We do that by deepening, strengthening our relationships and our trust with the countries of our near region.”Senator Wong said the Albanese government had shown a “singular focus on developing stronger relationships”.“Which is all about more security for Australia and the Australian people,” she said.Mr Albanese is set to land in Honiara on Tuesday and participate in the Solomon Islands’ independence day celebrations and a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Matthew Wale. Mr Wale has repeatedly called for a region-wide security pact and has led the country’s tentative pivot away from China with which the Solomon Islands signed a secretive 2022 security agreement. Senator Wong dodged questions about whether other countries in the Pacific might join the Oceans of Peace alliance, which grew out of Mr Rabuka’s urging at the Pacific Islands Forum for a “Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace”.“There is an important discussion between Pacific leaders, Pacific countries about how is it we best work together to assure the peace and stability that we all want and that underpins our prosperity, and you’ve seen that played out in the various agreements,” she said, noting Australia’s alliance with Papua New Guinea and agreement with Vanuatu.Read related topics:ChinaPenny Wong