India’s PM Modi lands in PNG for Pacific summit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Papua New Guinea on Sunday for talks with Pacific island leaders, the first visit by an Indian premier as New Delhi seeks to counter China’s growing footprint in the

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Samoa sends first team of UN Peacekeepers since COVID lockdown

A 10 member team of Samoan police officers leaves today for training in Jakarta, Indonesia before deployment under the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission. It is the first team sent for peace keeping duties since the

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Micronesia’s new president takes over from Taiwan-leaning predecessor

The Pacific island nation of Micronesia picked Wesley W. Simina as its new president Thursday in a changing of the guard from a predecessor who had warmed up to Taiwan. Nikkei reports that the nation’s congress

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U.S. President Biden to sign defence pact in PNG, with eyes on China

U.S. President Joe Biden will sign defence and surveillance agreements with Papua New Guinea, the island nation’s foreign minister said, on a visit that renews the strategic importance of the nation where

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U.S. opens Embassy in Tonga in new pushback against China in Pacific

The United States has opened a new Embassy in Tonga, the State Department said on Wednesday, part of efforts to step up the U.S. diplomatic presence in the Pacific region to counter China. The United States

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Australia invests to counter China’s influence in the Pacific

Australia will spend almost $2 billion(US$1.3 million) on improving relations with Pacific island nations as it seeks to counter China’s growing influence in the region. As well as spending $1.4 billion(US$947

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The Dixmude visits Suva port

It has been 22 years since France did a circumnavigation training around the world, and yesterday a vessel undertaking this exercise docked at the Suva harbour with the aim of strengthening regional partnerships and

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U.S. set to open new embassy in Tonga this month

The United States is on track to open a new embassy in Tonga this month, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia said on Tuesday, part of efforts to step up its diplomatic presence in the Pacific region to counter China.

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PNG hopes to sign defence agreement during Biden visit

Papua New Guinea hopes to sign a defense cooperation agreement with the United States during President Joe Biden’s stop over in the Pacific island nation this month. Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape

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China surprised by Fiji move

China was surprised when the new Fijian Government scrapped the deal between the Chinese police and their own police force. Chinese Government Special Envoy for Pacific Island Countries Qian Bo told the Samoa Observer

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Australia would be smart to recruit soldiers in the Pacific, former Fijian British Army officer explains

Fiji has a track record of service to the British crown. Travel to Hereford, where the Special Air Service is based, and you will find a statue of Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba, who was one of the 212 Fijians who joined

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Australia to order military build-up in response to China’s growing power

The Australian military will be rapidly transformed to prepare for a possible conflict between China and the United States. An unclassified version of a major defense review published Monday recommends that Australia

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Amata co-sponsors legislation to counter Chinese cybersecurity threats

U.S. Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata is highlighting the House passage of the Countering Untrusted Telecommunications Abroad Act or HR 1149, which she co-led with sponsor Rep Susan Wild, D-Pennsylvania.  Their

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In New Caledonia, Australia urges Pacific island unity amid China, U.S competition

Australia’s foreign minister urged Pacific island countries on Thursday to stay united in the face of great power competition as she visited New Caledonia, where the president raised concerns about

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China practices attacking Taiwan and Pacific, a worrying development

China’s newest aircraft carrier has for the first time practiced attacking Taiwan from the island’s east coast, demonstrating Beijing’s growing determination to project power beyond the Taiwan Strait and far into

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Outgoing FSM president urged to reconsider diplomatic shift to Taiwan

Seeking to retain the status quo on the Federated States Micronesia’s (FSM) diplomatic relations with China, the FSM Congress weighed in on a resolution urging outgoing President David Panuelo to suspend his plan to

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Fisheries, health and an embassy for Vanuatu feature in U.S.-Pacific talks

The White House says a high-level U.S. delegation visit to Pacific Island nations this month was a demonstration of its commitment towards a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific. The visits came amid concerns over

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New Zealand may join AUKUS pact’s non-nuclear component

New Zealand’s government has confirmed it is discussing joining the non-nuclear part of the AUKUS alliance founded by Australia, the UK and U.S. “We have been offered the opportunity to talk about whether we could

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AUKUS is going against Pacific nuclear free treaty: Forum chair

Cook Islands Prime Minister and Forum Chair, Mark Brown has joined a growing list of Pacific leaders to object to the US$250 billion nuclear submarine deal between Australia, United Kingdom and the United States

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U.S. envoy slams disinformation over Solomons ‘plot’

A White House envoy on Tuesday decried “disinformation and smears” about the United States’ motives in the Solomon Islands, after his meeting with the country’s pro-China leader was overshadowed by

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Samoa PM pushes for Pacific voices to be better heard

Samoa’s prime minister says small Pacific nations need to be listened to and consulted more over regional security issues as bigger players crowd the region. In her first official visit to Australia, Fiamē Naomi

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Senior U.S. official underscores Solomons-China concerns

A senior White House official on Sunday underlined U.S. concerns about China’s close ties with the Solomon Islands as he began a weeklong tour of Pacific island countries.  Kurt Campbell, the U.S. National Security

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China urges Japan to heed concerns on water disposal

China urges Japan to take seriously the legitimate concerns of all parties, and dispose of the nuclear-contaminated water in a science-based, open, transparent and safe manner, foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin

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Fiji backs AUKUS as Canberra soothes regional tension

One of the Pacific’s key leaders has told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese he supports the AUKUS agreement during a whistle-stop meeting on Wednesday as the PM continued diplomatic efforts to reassure

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