A new security deal between Australia and Fiji will provide both countries with a framework to counter and respond to “common security challenges” in the Pacific. While no explicit reference to China was mentioned, both The Australian and Fijian Defence ministers—who signed the “Status of Forces Agreement” on Oct. 20—said the new deal marked an…

Fiji’s Lands and Mineral Resources Ministry has issued two special prospecting licenses to Chinese mining company Ding Jing Mining Pty Ltd more than a year after local residents raised objections to the move. It comes amid concerns of Beijing’s ongoing influence in the Pacific following Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s tour of eight Pacific nations….

The Pacific nations of Palau, Fiji, and Samoa have formed a new alliance to call for a moratorium on deep-sea mining, citing the industry’s potential hazards to ocean ecology. “We believe it is not worth the risk. We ask all of you to support that deep-sea mining increases the vulnerability of the seabed floor and…

WELLINGTON, New Zealand—The United States won a legal battle on Tuesday to seize a Russian-owned superyacht in Fiji and wasted no time in taking command of the $325 million vessel and sailing it away from the South Pacific nation. The court ruling represented a significant victory for the United States as it encounters obstacles in…

As the United States shifts its strategic focus to the Indo-Pacific, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempts to gain control over island nations in the region. China’s foreign minister introduced a broad-reaching security and trade pact during a recent visit to the South Pacific. But the United States and some Pacific nations raised concerns. Chinese…

A lack of consensus from Pacific nations has forced Beijing to shelve a sweeping security and economic deal with the region, following a meeting between foreign ministers on May 30. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is midway through an eight-nation tour of the region where Beijing has been attempting to tighten alliances with the island…

The island country of Fiji is joining the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), according to a Thursday White House statement. Situated in the Pacific, a region that’s increasingly contentious in step with expanding Chinese influence, Fiji’s joining IPEF gives the Biden administration a diplomatic victory over Beijing. “IPEF now reflects the full regional…

Authorities in Fiji seized a yacht belonging to Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov following a warrant from the United States, finding documents that have implicated the owner of violating American law. The 348-foot-long luxury vessel, Amadea, arrived in Fiji on April 13 after an 18-day voyage from Mexico. The vessel has been the focus of Washington’s…

Authorities in Fiji have seized a superyacht owned by Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov at the request of the United States over alleged ties to corruption, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on May 5. The 348-foot luxury vessel, the Amadea—worth more than $300 million—was impounded based on probable cause of violating U.S. law, money laundering,…

Their energy infused the evening under a gloaming sky. With the last rays of the sunset fading, the passion of this small troupe from a nearby village added to the heat of the humid night. Earlier, we had feasted on pork, chicken, taro, and cassava. It was prepared as a “lovo,” the traditional way in…