PINA

Fearing the militarisation of the Pacific, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has urged the Solomon Islands to walk away from its newly inked security deal with China. China’s foreign ministry announced on Tuesday night it had wrapped up an “inter-governmental framework agreement on security co-operation” with the Solomon Islands. Under the deal, first leaked last month, Beijing will build police...

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Solomon Islands knows Australia is a "great friend" as he defended his government's response over the Pacific Island nation's security deal with China, which Labor has labelled a significant policy failure. Australia has raised concerns and disappointment at the signing of the deal, While campaigning in south-east Queensland on Wednesday, Anthony Albanese joined Labor's foreign affairs...

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday reiterated that the security cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands does not target any third party, and that the United States should respect these Pacific Island countries as independent and sovereign states rather than as its appendages. Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily news briefing when commenting on media...

A symposium to review the efforts and the impact on the execution of Fiji’s commitment to the UN Oceans Conference (UNOC), to review Fiji’s efforts to date, and to define Fiji’s progress towards the achievement of the long-term marine reserve and conservation priorities was opened by President Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere, in Suva Wednesday. Speaking at the event, which is...

Three current and former lawyers at Norton Rose Fulbright’s Australian unit are among those facing a potential five-year ban from doing business in Papua New Guinea, for failing to co-operate with the royal commission into a controversial $1.3 billion (US$960 million) UBS loan. The commission’s final report was tabled in PNG’s parliament on Wednesday, two and half years after it...

Opinion by Kate Lyons The Australian government woke up Wednesday morning to a Solomon Islands-shaped headache. Tuesday night, news broke that the Pacific nation, less than 2,000km from Australia’s east coast, had signed a security deal with China. A draft of the agreement, leaked on social media last month, contained concerning provisions, including one that suggested the deal could allow China...

Commonwealth Games Australia has partnered with the Australian Government to assist athletes and Para-athletes from Pacific nations in their preparations for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) President Ben Houston Wednedsday announced a partnership with the Australian Government to support Commonwealth Games athletes and para-athletes from eleven Pacific nations to prepare for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Due...

The Western Force's clash with Moana Pasifika has been postponed after a number of COVID cases in the Force camp. The WA-based club were without coach Tim Sampson, Izack Rodda and Issak Fines Leleiwasa for last week's defeat to the Waratahs, forced into isolation. However, further cases have emerged, leaving SANZAAR with little option but to postpone the match for a...

Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s Head Coach Saiasi Fuli has named a powerful and exciting pack with one debutant for the Langford and Toulouse 7s as the Women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series resumes in Canada next weekend. Savusavu lass Verenaisi Bari, a product of the Vodafone Vanua Championship is the new addition to a squad packed with experienced players who...

Suva prop Meli Tuni will make his Super Rugby Pacific debut for the Fijian Drua this Saturday. Tuni has been named in the starting line-up in the loose-head position for the clash against the Blues. Making their first start of the season are 2016 Olympic gold-medalist Kitione Taliga who is at full-back, Flying Fijians tight-head prop Manasa Saulo and Naitasiri lock...