The Prime Minister is being warned to keep his wits about him amid China’s moves in the Pacific.

Australia’s new Foreign Minister Penny Wong is heading to Fiji as China seeks to strike a region-wide deal with a dozen Pacific island countries.

The agreement would involve cooperation over policing, security, and data communication. 

A two-year diplomatic freeze ended between China and Australia after Labor’s election win.

Anthony Albanese has said he would “respond appropriately in time” to a letter of congratulations from China’s Premier, Li Keqiang.

But Australian Strategic Policy Institute Director of Defence, Strategy and National Security Michael Shoebridge told Ben Fordham the note doesn’t compare to a phone call.

“We’ve got to be a little smarter than Beijing is hoping we will be.

“It’s in Beijing’s court, if they want to take a step to actually show they want to change what they’re doing, like remove the $20 billion of economic coercion against Australia, maybe that’s the opening we need.”

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