Australia will maintain its tariff-free status for Pacific islands that are facing aid cuts, according to the foreign minister

After Fiji was struck by a 32% U.S. tariff, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong promised to maintain tariff-free access for Pacific Island exports in a speech aimed at establishing Australia as a dependable regional partner in the face of international funding cuts.

Wong made her first international appearance since the center-left Labor government was re-elected in May, saying in Suva on Tuesday that Australia is “a partner the Pacific can count on” and the region’s biggest assistance contributor.

“The Pacific region has prospered thanks to forty years of tariff-free access to Australia. And I can assure you today that won’t change,” she said at the Pacific Islands Forum’s offices, which is the diplomatic bloc for the area.

Fiji’s primary exports are fish, sugar, and bottled water.

Fiji, a transportation gateway for the aid-dependent region strategically located between Asia and the United States, was previously courted by Beijing and Washington for infrastructural support and security connections.

While Nauru, which has 11,000 people, received a 30% tariff, Vanuatu was subject to a 22% U.S. duty.

In Washington in February, Sitiveni Rabuka, the prime minister of Fiji, had voiced worries about the U.S. aid freeze.

Wong, who will also visit Vanuatu and Tonga this week, stated, “The Pacific is facing growing challenges, from climate change, cuts to global aid, and rules under strain.”

According to her, Australia has committed a record A$2.1 billion ($1.35 billion) in development funds to the Pacific Islands.

“Recognising the impact of global aid cuts, we have reprioritised our development assistance to dedicate 75 cents of every Australian development dollar to support our region,” she explained.

Australia views China’s efforts to strengthen its policing connections in the Pacific Islands, where it is the second-largest donor nation, as a security threat.