Author: TMC Palau

He said: “This kind of Chinese ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy actually easily undermines Pacific unity, and it is quite off-putting and disliked.”The term “wolf warrior”, from a Chinese action film of the same name, has been used by academics and politicians to describe China’s shift towards a more combative public tone.The PIF brings together 18 member nations to discuss regional issues and goals. Taiwan and China have sent representatives for decades, despite China’s efforts to block Taiwan, which has diplomatic ties with three Pacific island nations.Chinese opposition to Taiwan’s involvement in the meeting has dominated the forum, which was already controversial…

By Elilai Rengiil KOROR, Palau (Sept. 3, 2026) “The more I wrote, the deeper I went into those feelings.” For Palauan poet Stephanie Pettit, those feelings were rooted in her relationship with her mother — a relationship shaped by cultural expectations, love, conflict, growing up and, ultimately, a deeper understanding of motherhood. What began […]The post Palauan Poet Turns Personal Pain Into Powerful UN Women-Winning Poem appeared first on Island Times News. Source link

Pacific governments must direct funding to the right policing agencies if the region is to effectively tackle transnational organised crime, says Palau’s Minister for Justice Jennifer Olegeriil.“It needs to start at the top, because that political will drive funding priorities, to go towards improving those areas that need to be improved,” she said.Ms Olegeriil, a former police officer in Palau, made the comments during a side event held on the margins of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Koror, Palau.She said investment was needed in equipment, assets, training and capacity building, particularly to improve intelligence sharing.“Whether that is additional…

By: L.N. Reklai KOROR, Palau (Sept. 3, 2026) — “Today we saw firsthand how Australia and Palau’s close collaboration is delivering tangible benefits by helping provide cleaner, more reliable energy for homes, businesses and schools,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said as Australia marked a new milestone in Palau’s transition to renewable energy. Albanese joined […]The post Australia Delivers Battery Storage to Boost Palau’s Renewable Energy Transition appeared first on Island Times News. Source link

WHO Programme Management Officer Edenor Gongora facilitates an interactive session on how effective prioritization and planning can help translate health priorities into action during the 4P Workshop in Palau. Credit: WHO/W ShahidKOROR, PALAU: Strong health policies and elaborate plans only improve lives when they are translated into action. From financing and procurement to partnerships and programme delivery, turning priorities into results requires coordinated effort across government and partners.These practical questions brought together Palau’s Ministry of Health and Human Services (MHHS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for a two-and-a-half-day workshop in Koror from 3–5 August 2026.Built around four themes, Prioritization,…

By: L.N. Reklai KOROR, Palau (Sept. 3, 2026) — “One point five to stay alive is not a slogan, it’s a lifeline,” Marshall Islands Climate Envoy Tina Stege told reporters this week, delivering a sobering assessment of a new UNEP report showing the world is on track to overshoot the 1.5-degree-Celsius warming threshold. Stege, who […]The post Pacific Leaders Warn 1.5C Overshoot Threatens Ocean, Tuna Stocks and Island Survival appeared first on Island Times News. Source link

Leaders in the Pacific have registered their concern over a nuclear-capable missile test conducted by China in July, calling on all states to provide advance warning ahead of any testing.Nauru – one of the 18 Pacific Island Forum (PIF) members – noted its dissent from the statement.Partners to the forum will also be split into two tiers in future, and member states agreed to a declaration for urgent and inclusive climate action to keep 1.5 degrees of warming within reach.The Pacifc Islands’ Forum in Palau has concluded, with leaders taking part in a daylong meeting on Thursday to discuss various…

Pacific Island nations condemned a Chinese missile test into their midst in a joint statement agreed Thursday, despite pressure from Beijing on Palau, the host of a regional leaders’ meeting. Palau President Surangel Whipps addresses the UN General Assembly in September 2023. Photo: UN. The Pacific Islands Forum summit communique, read by Palau’s President Surangel Whipps to a late-night news conference, calls for at least 24 hours’ notice of any intercontinental ballistic missile testing. The statement was agreed by 17 of 18 forum members, with Naoero, formerly known as Nauru, dissenting. China gave only a handful of nations short notice…

September 4, 2026 — 12:02pmSaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items.Remove items from your saved list to add more.AAAKoror City, Palau: A whole suckling pig, freshly cooked and ready for carving. Traditional dancers in hemp skirts. Uplifting speeches about Pacific unity. The opening ceremony of this year’s Pacific Islands Forum, held in Palau’s national gymnasium, was a convivial, relaxed affair. China’s special envoy for Pacific Qian Bo, however, was not enjoying the festivities. In fact, he was seething. A reason: sitting only a few chairs away from him was Taiwan’s foreign minister.As he emerged from the gym on…

Add ThinkChina as a preferred sourcePalau President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. (left) and Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung gesture after cutting a ribbon during the inauguration ceremony for Taiwan-funded solar energy and electric bus projects in Koror on 30 August 2026, ahead of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting. (Saeed Khan/AFP)Palau’s decision to invite Taiwan to the 2026 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting after its exclusion last year shows the limits of China’s influence over the Pacific island countries (PICs). Taipei further ruffled Beijing’s feathers by sending its foreign minister, a higher representation compared to previous years. However, while isolating…