The Latest Breaking News from Pacific Island

Not usually at the forefront of geopolitical argy-bargy, the Pacific has recently emerged as a strategic element of securing democracy. A rift threatened to tear apart normally unshakeable regional unity in 2021, with five Micronesian countries threatening to leave the most powerful transnational group, the Pacific Islands Forum. Ahead of…

With Pacific Islands nations controlling 20 percent of all oceans, they are at the foundation of initiatives to help the planet and our health.

China’s presence in the Pacific has taken new forms. What was once purely economic, is now much deeper, writes Henryk Szadziewski.

China’s presence in the Pacific has taken new forms. What was once purely economic, is now much deeper.

Defence has identified potential faults in Guardian patrol boats Australia has supplied to Pacific island nations.

Potentially serious faults in Guardian-class patrol boats may force some countries to pause use of vessels

Numerous problems have been identified on Australian-built patrol boats gifted to Pacific Island nations, prompting the Defence Department to issue advice on how to "minimise risk" for the countries that operate them.

Beijing is attempting to muscle in on the Pacific's most important high-level gathering, pushing for a meeting with the region's foreign ministers on the same day as another key event.

The decision by the Pacific's peak diplomatic body to exclude major international powers from a crucial meeting next month will give leaders the opportunity to discuss regional issues without outside pressure.