The government of Pacific nation Vanuatu has thrown its support behind the One China policy following U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. The overt declaration comes amid ongoing concerns of Beijing’s strong influence in the South Pacific and the threat of conflict around the Taiwan Strait. On Aug. 5, Silas Bule, the acting…

Vanuatu’s government has shelved proposed changes to its Constitution to allow foreign nationals to hold office and extend term limits for members of Parliament. The contentious changes come amid concerns that democratic institutions across the South Pacific are being weakened as Beijing ramps up its influence. On June 21, Prime Minister Bob Loughman was forced…

As democratic leaders continue working to shore up alliances with Pacific leaders, one expert has warned leaders that Beijing is already well advanced in fomenting corruption and eroding democratic institutions in the region. Cleo Paskal, senior fellow for the Indo-Pacific at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said foreign officials need to cast off well-worn…

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck the Vanuatu region, an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said on Saturday. The quake had a depth of 301 miles (485 km), the USGS said in a statement. Officials said there was no danger of a tsunami. There were no immediate reports…

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck near the Vanuatu islands in the South Pacific on Saturday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said. No tsunami warning was issued due to the depth of the quake, said the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii. The quake, which was upgraded from a preliminary magnitude of 6.7, was…

An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck near the coast of Port-Olry, Vanuatu, triggering a tsunami warning for nearby areas, authorities said. The quake was at a depth of 91 km (56 miles) and was about 19 km north-west of Port-Olry, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS had initially put the magnitude at…

Leaders from nine Pacific Island nations have vowed to deepen their relationship with Beijing, fight the pandemic, and continue collaborating on major infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The pledge comes amid an ongoing tug-of-war between Beijing and democratic allies in the South Pacific region. In late May, top Chinese Communist Party…

An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 struck the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on Tuesday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said. The quake was at a depth of 40 km (24.85 miles), EMSC said.