PINA

China’s vice-foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu will visit Australia and Fiji this week, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday. The visit by Ma, a former ambassador to Australia, was expected to stabilise ties between the two countries ahead of an anticipated visit to Beijing this year by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The South China Morning Post reported last week that Albanese...

Samoa's Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa will lead Samoa's delegation to the Atoa o Samoa meeting in American Samoa this week. The Samoan Cabinet at its meeting on last Wednesday finalised and approved the final list of the delegates who will be traveling to American Samoa for the bi-annual meeting. In response to queries from the media last week, PM Mata’afa...

Palau's House of Delegates passed on its third and final reading a Senate bill 11-73 to expand, update and strengthen the anti-human smuggling and human trafficking act. The bill amends the current law ‘to bring them into line with international law and to reflect the true heinousness of these crimes, as well as make clear to all interested parties the...

The leaders of the Marshall Islands, a collection of 29 coral atolls lying halfway between Hawaii and Australia, know exactly why the United States just agreed to a deal promising US$700 million in new support over four years. “t's because of China. We're not naive,” Marshallese Foreign Minister Kitlang Kabua said in an interview at a restaurant close to the...

  Simon Kofe currently serves as the Minister of Justice, Communications and Foreign Affairs of Tuvalu. He previously contributed to constitutional reform projects as Senior Magistrate. Throughout his career, Minister Kofe has demonstrated a deep commitment to serving the people of Tuvalu and advancing their interests on the global stage. His leadership, expertise, and dedication have earned him a reputation...

The Micronesian Congress has reaffirmed the Federated States of Micronesia’s (FSM)diplomatic ties with China after outgoing President David Panuelo had urged a switch to Taiwan. The Congress of the island country last week adopted a resolution “to reaffirm and reiterate that the One China Policy remains the official policy of the FSM.” The congressional resolution requested that President Panuelo not alter...

The SPREP Treaty was signed in 1992, in Apia, Samoa. Under the Treaty, the purpose of the organisation is to provide assistance to the Pacific to protect and improve the environment and to ensure sustainable development for present and future generations. Through its work, SPREP strives to support and empower young Pacific people working to build a resilient Pacific in...

A team from the Sol2023 Pacific Games Organising Committee (GOC), accompanied by the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) confiscated illegally printed and sold t-shirts from two Chinese shops in Honiara. A total 50 t-shirts that featured on it, ‘Solo’ the official Games Mascot were pulled off the shelves of Bisi shop and New Fashion shop at the Alvaro Building...

Six teams from around the Pacific and one from Europe have assembled in Auckland ahead of the OFC U15 development tournament in Auckland. It is being played at the OFC 'Home of Football' Te Kahu O Kiwa' from today until the 17th of April. The tournament, which has been funded through UEFA Assist, features academy teams from Vanuatu, Tahiti, Fiji, Tonga,...

A great day for the Fiji media industry as years of enduring harsh media laws is finally over. Fiji Times Pte Ltd general manager Christine Lyons summed up the mood at the company after the Media Industry Development Act (MIDA) was repealed by majority vote in Parliament Thursday. “It is a great day for all media companies and journalists in Fiji...