PINA

Solomon Islands Opposition Leader Matthew Wale says it is unfortunate that the security pact with China had to be secretly signed and was only made known through officials in Beijing. Wale said Prime Minister’s Manasseh Sogavare explanation in Parliament was an attempt to save face knowing that Beijing had already released information on the secret signing a few days earlier. The...

To better inform stakeholders on the health of the Southern Hemispheres third longest continuous reef system, the Status and trends of coral reefs and associated coastal habitats in Fiji’s Great Sea Reef (GSR) report was launched Thursday by the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Fisheries Pene Baleinabuli. “The system is significant to Fiji not only for its biodiversity but...

The Nobel prize winner José Ramos-Horta has scored a landslide victory in Timor-Leste’s presidential election, according to preliminary results published by the election secretariat. The 72-year-old secured 397,145 votes, or 62.09 percent, against incumbent Francisco “Lu-Olo” Guterres’ 242,440, or 37.91percent, the secretariat’s website showed on Wednesday after all ballots were counted. “The count of the district, national and regional vote has...

Fiji's Permanent Secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs, Yogesh Karan Wednesday chaired a security dialogue with the high-level United States delegation to discuss areas of mutual interests, particularly, cooperation on defence and security. The dialogue also focused on platforms aimed at deepening the level of engagements for promoting a peaceful and unified region. The U.S delegation...

Australia has refuted claims that Australian security forces deployed to Solomon Islands’ capital Honiara to quell last November’s riots were instructed not to protect Chinese-built infrastructure. The claim was made by former Solomon Islands prime minister, Danny Philip, who is now the chair of the current government’s, foreign policy advisory subcommittee. Speaking during a webinar hosted by Georgetown University’s Centre for...

Jacinda Ardern, the New Zealand prime minister, has spoken of Beijing’s “growing assertiveness” in the Pacific region as she challenged the motive for a security pact between Solomon Islands and Beijing. Australia, New Zealand and the U.S are concerned the Solomons pact could allow China to establish a military base within 2,000km of Australia’s east coast. The text permits China...

China's security agreement with the Solomon Islands may affect security for the region and is a probable topic for discussions between the leaders of Japan and New Zealand on Thursday, Japan's chief cabinet secretary said. The security pact is a major inroad for China in the resource-rich Pacific, which Australia and New Zealand have for decades seen as their "backyard,"...

By Kevin Rudd First, Australia must fully redress the punitive Pacific aid cuts imposed since 2013. Morrison’s current strategy is to deny these cuts even exist. But the numbers don’t lie: US$250 million of cumulative cuts between 2013 and 2020. Morrison even boasted of foreign aid in 2017, “we’ve stripped it right back, billions of dollars”. Despite his protestations,...

The Fijian Drua and NSW Waratahs have confirmed their sides for the Super W Grand Final. The match will be played as part of Super Round on Saturday 23 April, with the Fijiana Drua aiming to finish the season unbeaten after their dominant victory over the defending champions on the Gold Coast. They have made several changes to the side that...

When Captain Cook spent time in Fiji in 1774, he and his crew were astounded by the “drua” – double-hulled boats that were then some of the most advanced sea vessels in the world. Elegant in their simplicity, they were created by binding together buabua trees, not with nails but by “magimagi”, or coconut fibres. Over time, this shipbuilding genius...