PINA

Former All Blacks and Wallabies stars Israel Folau, Charles Piutau and Malakai Fekitoa headline the newly-named Tonga squad to compete in July’s Pacific Nations Cup and World Cup qualifier. All three players were included in Toutai Kefu’s 31-man ‘Ikale Tahi squad to face Fiji, Samoa and Australia A in the Pacific Nations Cup, which precedes a World Cup playoff match...

China’s foreign minister will meet with his Pacific counterparts in a crucial meeting on Monday during which China is expected to encourage Pacific countries to sign up to a sweeping regional economic and security deal. The meeting comes midway through foreign minister Wang Yi’s marathon tour of the Pacific, visiting eight countries in 10 days, in a move that security...

The President of the Pacific island nation of Palau has recalled World War Two in a warning other regional leaders that wide-ranging trade and security pacts with China could have harmful consequences. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is on an eight-country Pacific tour involving discussions with Pacific leaders about signing up to a regional agreement on economy, security and policing. It...

China's growing influence in the Pacific is a “scary development” for the region, according to the former prime minister and current opposition leader of Pacific island nation Tuvalu. In an interview with SBS News, Enele Sopoaga said a leaked document outlining China’s intention to form a pact with Pacific island nationsMcomes at an unstable time for the region. “The decision to...

Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna has welcomed China’s climate change commitments. He made the statement when he met with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Suva. In a statement, SG Puna said China is a long standing and important Forum Dialogue Partner, and development partner, to our Blue Pacific region. “Recognising this, we are keen to build...

Vanuatu has become the first Pacific Small Island Developing State to declare it is facing a climate emergency. In a Twitter post, the leader of the opposition Ralph Regenvanu announced parliament passed a 17-point resolution declaring a climate emergency last Friday. Regenvanu said under Point 1 of the resolution, “The Parliament declares that a climate emergency exists that is now existentially...

Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said on Saturday he had a “wonderful meeting” with Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who travelled to Fiji days after being sworn in to show the new government's attention to the Pacific Islands. “Fiji is not anyone’s backyard - we are a part of a Pacific family," Bainimarama wrote on Twitter, posting a picture of...

Australia's newly elected prime minister has said Pacific leaders have been “very positive” about his government's renewed engagement, even as Beijing continues its diplomatic blitz across the increasingly contested region. The comments from Anthony Albanese -- aired Sunday in an interview with Sky News -- came as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Fiji for closely watched meetings with the...

Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat officials were in Japan last week in a round of meetings aimed at deepening Japan’s longstanding dialogue partner relationship with the Forum. The mission follows on from a 07 May visit to the PIF Secretariat by Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Yoshimasa Hayashi. “Japan continues to demonstrate its engagement and support to the Pacific in a range...

Delegates from some 184 countries gathered in Bali for the 2022 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction where they reviewed efforts to protect communities against a rising number of climate hazards and other catastrophes globally. The summit concluded with an outcome document entitled the Bali Agenda for Resilience, which aims to prevent the world from facing 1.5 disasters a day...