International relationsAgreement comes on the day Beijing conducts missile test in PacificAustralia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, and Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka pose after signing agreements at State House in Suva on July 6. © A AP/ReutersSOPHIE MAKJuly 6, 2026 14:49 JSTSYDNEY -- Australia and Fiji signed a new defense pact Monday, as Canberra seeks to boost its influence in the Pacific and prevent China from gaining a further security foothold in the region.