Trump announces 90-day pause on tariffs except for China
US President Donald Trump has announced a 90-day pause on tariffs effective
China
Littleproud says Coalition government would urge Pacific to be ‘more aggressive’ on China
David Littleproud urges Pacific pressure on China, sparking Labor criticism of Coalition's climate
Poll position: What Australia’s election holds for the Pacific
Australia’s policies toward the Pacific will continue to be primarily driven by China’s resurgence, no matter who is elected. Commentary by Tess Newton Cain When Solomon Islands and China signed a
Hegseth: U.S committed to defence of Pacific territories against China
U.S Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has reaffirmed the United States is committed to defending the Pacific territories of Guam and Northern Mariana Islands and said any attack on them would be an attack on the
PNG’s 2024 trade with China exceeded K17.8 billion
The volume of trade between China and Papua New Guinea in 2024 exceeded K17.8 billion (US$4.39 billion)– with a surplus of more than K7.5 billion(US$1.85 billion) on the PNG side. In recent years, more Chinese
Wellington eyes strategic denial in the Cook Islands
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ row with the Cook Islands government in February was every bit as odd as his January quarrel with the President of Kiribati. It arose after the Cook Islands Prime Minister,
Convicted fraudsters stranded abroad after Marshall Islands revokes their passports
A pair of China-born scammers convicted of bribing officials via a fake United Nations agency have had their Marshall Islands passports revoked while outside the country, potentially leaving them stranded in permanent
Pacific nation of Kiribati explores deep sea mining deal with China
The company at the vanguard of plans to mine deep sea metals used in electric vehicle batteries has surrendered a third of its Pacific Ocean exploration area after a breakdown in cooperation with the island nation of
Vanuatu Government cancels fraudulently acquired passports of Chinese nationals
The Vanuatu government, through the Department of Immigration and Passport Services (DoIPS), has cancelled the Vanuatu passports of three Chinese nationals for fraudulently obtaining them. Huang Bo, Liu Hong, and Tang
Large drone spotted near border with PNG as Chinese warships passed nearby
Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko says he was not notified about a sophisticated drone that flew into the country’s air space around the time a Chinese naval vessel navigated the border
Cook Islands PM’s challenges go beyond China
It’s a cold weekend in one of the coldest cities in Northeast China. Just before heading back to Rarotonga from a controversial mission to China, Prime Minister Mark Brown stepped outside to film one of his regular
Cook Islands secures $4 million ‘one off’ grant form China for future grants
Cook Islands will receive a “one off grant” of approximately $4 million (US$2.29 million) from China, following the signing of the Joint Action Plan for the 2025-2030 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership last week.
Cook Islands signs partnership deal with China
The Cook Islands said on Saturday that it signed a comprehensive strategic partnership deal with China, a move expected to raise concerns in New Zealand with which it has constitutional ties. Reuters reports that Cook
Cook Islands dicusses deep-sea mining research with China
Cook Islands officials discussed seabed minerals research with China during last week’s mission to Beijing. Cook Islands has licensed three companies to explore the seabed for nodules rich in metals such as nickel
China-backed APT40 hacking group blamed for cyber attacks on Samoa
Samoa’s government has blamed a Chinese state-backed hacking group for a series of sophisticated cyber attacks, saying it has been conducting “malicious cyber operations against government and key critical
Cook Islands opposition files no-confidence motion against PM Mark Brown, Cook Islands-China deal details to be revealed ‘in the coming days’ – Mark Brown
A vote of no confidence motion has been filed against the Prime Minister and his Cabinet following the recent fiasco involving the now-abandoned Cook Islands passport proposal and the comprehensive strategic partnership
‘Significant concern’: NZ, Cook Islands relationship worsens
The relationship between New Zealand and the Cook Islands has worsened significantly this week, report New Zealand media outlets. A statement from Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ office said the Cook Islands had
New Zealand chides Cook Islands for ‘lack of transparency’
New Zealand criticised its close Pacific partner the Cook Islands on Wednesday for showing a “lack of transparency”, following reports that it is about to sign a cooperation deal with China. AFP reports that
Albanese wants to “China-proof” the Pacific, but Nauru is driving a hard bargain
The Albanese government hopes to end the year with a major foreign policy victory by signing a landmark pact with Nauru aimed at preventing China from gaining a security foothold in the Pacific. The Sydney Morning
Chinese trade exhibition aimed to strengthen bilateral ties with Fiji
The Chinese Embassy in Fiji hosted its first-ever trade exhibition recently, with the aim of encouraging more Chinese investors to look at business opportunities in Fiji, establish factories, establish channels of
China returns to Pacific with aid and influence push, report shows
China has regained its place as the second-biggest bilateral donor to the Pacific Islands, displacing the United States and targeting its spending to win influence, a Lowy Institute report on aid to the region found.
Palau says China ICBM test a ‘direct threat’, seeks U.S Patriot missile system
Palau’s re-elected President Surangel Whipps said on Tuesday he may ask the United States for a Patriot missile defence system, citing a recent Chinese missile
My missile is bigger than your missile
For the first time in more than 40 years, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has fired an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile across the Pacific, to splash down in waters near French
