PINA

Solomon Islands' Opposition Leader claims he warned Australian officials last year that China was negotiating a military pact which could see a base established on the strategically located Pacific nation. News of the draft agreement is causing growing concern across the region and one analyst is warning Beijing could soon also gain a foothold in Papua New Guinea. In an interview...

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says there is “very little” reason for China to station military forces on the Solomon Islands, describing developments as “gravely concerning”. A draft agreement - leaked online - indicated Solomon Islands would allow Beijing to send military forces there and make regular ship visits. The New Zealand and Australian governments have both expressed concern...

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia respects the sovereignty of individual Pacific Island states but will work with partners “to ensure there is a keen understanding of the risks and threats” the draft security deal between the Solomon Islands and China poses. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said there is “great concern” across the Pacific family in the wake of China’s...

Opinion by Mihai Sora A leaked draft security agreement being negotiated between China and Solomon Islands could have security implications for the whole Pacific. The draft document sets out a broad framework covering Chinese “police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces” deployments to Solomon Islands. The agreement also allows China, with the consent of Solomon...

Timor-Leste is headed for a run-off presidential election after Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jose Ramos-Horta failed to secure more than 50 percent of the vote, despite a commanding lead over a fellow former independence fighter, incumbent President Francisco “Lu Olo” Guterres. Ramos-Horta received 46.6 per cent of the vote in last week's election and Guterres got 22.1 percent, according to...

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta departs for Fiji this week, her first trip to the Pacific since announcing New Zealand’s Pacific Resilience approach last year. “This visit is an important step in reconnecting Aotearoa New Zealand with our Pacific whanaunga, and an opportunity to engage on key issues facing our region,” Nanaia Mahuta said. “As our largest Pacific trading...

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia has been adequately supporting the Solomon Islands amid growing concern over the Pacific nation signing a policing deal with China. The leaked draft deal between the two nations would allow for Chinese ships to be based in the Pacific, as well as have a navy base less than 2000 kilometres off Australia's coast. In a...

Solomon Islands Opposition leader Matthew Wale has warned the Pacific nation should not to be on the grounds where big powers play or compete. Wale made this statement following the controversial draft security agreement with China leaked in the media recently. The Opposition Leader warned that this is a very dangerous place to be and the agreement places Solomon Islands in...

Armed Solomon Islands police and foreign troops will be deployed inside and outside the Parliament House from today when Parliament begins its budget session, it was revealed Saturday. Police Commissioner Mostyn Mangau reportedly briefed the Chairman of the House Committee about the unprecedented move earlier last week. The move which has the potential to ignite a public backlash, similar to last...

When internet systems in the Marshall Islands went on the blink in mid-March, it wasn’t immediately clear what was causing the rolling outages. Home, business and government DSL and dedicated lines as well as mobile 4G services became intermittent or non-functional, forcing the National Telecommunications Authority or NTA to repeatedly issue messages updating customers about “intermittent disruptions” and “urgent maintenance”...