Tonga's prime minister has warned Australia and New Zealand that bullying Fiji's military regime to adopt democracy will drive it closer to China, but reaffirmed his own country's bonds with its regional "big brothers".
Lord Tu'ivakano, who became prime minister following Tonga's first popular elections in November, said his country had successfully managed its own transition to democracy and neighbouring Fiji should be allowed to do the same.
The 59-year-old, a member of Tonga's noble class, said he was concerned that efforts by Canberra and Wellington to force Fiji into holding elections would backfire as the regime in Suva was resistant to outside interference.
"(People) in the Pacific, if you keep bothering them, they will do the opposite," Tu'ivakano told AFP in an exclusive interview Tuesday.
"Just go easy, the more pressure you give, they will just turn (away). It's good to have dialogue with Fiji."
Fiji strongman Voreqe Bainimarama ousted the country's elected government in a 2006 coup, prompting fears of instability across the Pacific that led Wellington and Canberra to spearhead international efforts to isolate his government.
Tu'ivakano said Tonga, a nation of around 100,000, and neighbouring Fiji were "like family" and he understood why Bainimarama would not want to bow to pressure.
"Maybe just go easy and they will come around," he said. "What you need to remember is that it is an opportunity for other countries, maybe China will step in."
Fiji has sought increased aid from China since the coup and Tu'ivakano said the trend was likely to continue if New Zealand and Australia continued to refuse to talk to Bainimarama's regime.
"There's a lot of other countries looking in and Fiji's said 'We don't want Australia, we don't want New Zealand, these are the people that's going to help us.'"
Tonga had its own rocky path to democracy when rioting broke out in the capital Nuku'alofa in 2006, claiming eight lives and destroying much of the business centre as demonstrators protested the slow pace of political reform.
Tu'ivakano said the reforms that saw Tonga end more than 150 years of rule dominated by the monarchy last November had "worked very well" although some voters were still coming to terms with their new freedoms.
"We still have people voting (for a candidate) because it's your family, because it's your friend," he said. "We don't have the mentality of 'is this the right person to represent my constituency?'."
Tu'ivakano said he planned to pursue steady reform, revitalising Tonga's agriculture and tourism sectors while encouraging manufacturing and industries such as fish processing.
"(If) people have a few coins on their pockets and jobs, I think that will create more harmony within the country," he said.
He said foreign aid from all sources was welcome to achieve his plans but did not envisage Tonga embracing Beijing to the same extent as Fiji, instead relying on traditional partners Australia and New Zealand.
"They're in our vicinity and we always look up to them, I guess, as our big brothers," he said. "They're the ones we are working together with most."
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