Fiji asks New Zealand spies to review intelligence

Fiji said it will work with New Zealand's spy agency to review its intelligence service, days after the United States alleged the Pacific island nation had been targeted by Chinese-linked hacking and bribery.

Fiji's cabinet said Wednesday that the country would reform its national intelligence system to strengthen information sharing and assessment of security threats.

“A six-month partnership with the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, funded by the New Zealand Government, will assess Fiji's existing intelligence structure and develop evidence-based options for reform,” the cabinet said.

The US embassy in Fiji said Tuesday that hackers with links to China had compromised a regional organisation in Fiji. Last week, it alleged that a Chinese state agency employee living in Fiji had paid bribes on behalf of Beijing.

Ioane Naivalurua, Fiji's policing and communications minister, said Tuesday he was reviewing the Chinese hacking allegation. China's foreign ministry said it was not aware of the case and “opposed using cybersecurity issues to smear China.”

Australian National University Pacific expert Graeme Smith said the review of Fiji's intelligence service was overdue and that both intelligence and policing were needed to tackle threats facing Fiji.

Fiji has experienced a surge in drug smuggling by international cartels, and intravenous methamphetamine use has fuelled HIV rates that were recently declared a national emergency.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, elected in 2022, removed Chinese police officers from Fiji's police force, which is working more closely with Australian law enforcement. Fiji's previous leader had allowed Chinese police to be seconded to the force and took on infrastructure loans from Beijing.

Fiji is emerging as a major telecommunications hub in the Pacific Islands as Google expands a network of subsea cables connecting Guam, Australia, French Polynesia and the mainland United States. The Quad group of the United States, Australia, India and Japan also pledged in May to jointly fund a “model port” in Fiji.

Fiji's cabinet said the reforms are expected to strengthen capabilities through improved collaboration among agencies, more effective intelligence assessments and a coordinated approach to emerging security threats.