Author: TMC Palau

As delegations and observers stream into Palau for this year’s Pacific Islands Forum, they receive a stamp in their passport offering them entry into the country – but only if they offer something in return. “Children of Palau, I take this pledge, as your guest, to preserve and protect your beautiful and unique island home,” the Palau Pledge states, part of a 2017 eco-initiative that the Micronesian nation followed up three years later with a ban on sunscreen containing reef-toxic chemicals. Given that desire to safeguard future generations, it is hardly a surprise that climate change – always at the…

The Foreign Minister has taken another crack at the Prime Minister’s political experience, after Christopher Luxon said remaining in the Paris climate agreement would be a bottom line in coalition negotiations.Winston Peters, who is also the leader of New Zealand First – a party campaigning on leaving the Paris Agreement, said Luxon’s position demonstrated that “experience does matter in politics”.It comes as Pacific nations discuss a commitment to remain in the agreement, which an international relations expert said was a “commendable goal”.New Zealand First and ACT, National’s current coalition partners, have both indicated they do not support the commitment as…

‘STRONGER TOGETHER’: The buses would transport attendees to the Pacific Islands Forum, but would remain in operation in Palau for locals and tourists By Esme Yeh / Staff writer, with CNA Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) on Sunday attended events held alongside the 55th Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, and witnessed the handover of “Made in Taiwan” electric buses.Lin is leading a delegation visiting the Pacific island nation to meet with Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr and attend events held alongside the forum. The delegation arrived on Thursday last week and departs on Thursday.Lin yesterday wrote on Facebook…

The Smaller Island States (SIS) have opened Pacific Islands Forum week in Palau by putting their own priorities front and centre.These include new work areas and membership rules aimed at giving the group a stronger voice in regional decisions.Palau formally took over the SIS chairmanship from Kiribati at the Leaders Meeting in Koror.Kiribati President Taneti Maamau, who is not in Palau, called for stronger advocacy and support for the region’s smallest island countries.Speaking virtually from Tarawa, Maamau said the meeting was an important chance for SIS leaders to find common solutions to the challenges facing their countries.He said work agreed…

The Pacific Islands’ annual summit opened on Monday with a pointed message that outside partners “do not choose our destination”, as five leaders skipped the talks shadowed by China-Taiwan tensions.The gathering aims to grapple with challenges such as climate change, drug crime and the Chinese test-firing of a ballistic missile in July that landed in the Pacific Ocean.But at least five leaders won’t attend, sending lower-ranked ministers in their place.The 18-member Pacific Islands Forum is being hosted by Palau, a diplomatic ally of Taiwan.Beijing claims the self-ruled island as part of its territory, and has protested against Taiwan’s inclusion among…

RSE workers want to maximise their earningsPolice highlight risk of unsafe and unreasonable RSE accommodationAcademic says bad employers are the exception, and workers are focused on maximising pay over good housingAccommodation standards need to be standardised and monitored, says unionAccommodation for seasonal rural workers should be focused on low cost, not high quality to maximise wages, according to an academic.But a union warns that some housing is already substandard, especially with ‘barracks’-style accommodation in winter.Police identified “unsafe and unreasonable accommodation” as one of the biggest risks in the RSE system, according to a May government briefing.The government last month announced…

Delivered by the Chair of the Pacific ACP Leaders Meeting, President of Palau, H.E Surangel Whipps, JrNgarachamayong Cultural Center, Koror, Palau31 August 2026 Colleague Leaders, All protocols observed. On behalf of the Government and the people of the Republic of Palau, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 2026 Pacific ACP Leaders Meeting.It has been a busy year for all of us, compounded by prevailing geopolitical pressures and uncertainties. And it is why I appreciate our annual gathering as Leaders, as it offers a crucial opportunity for all of us to reflect on and reaffirm the values that underpin our…

Flags of member states fly outside the summit venue for the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Koror, Palau, on August 30, 2026. Photo: VCGThe 55th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting is being held in Palau, with climate action and finance, food security, transnational crime, and other regional challenges high on the agenda. The meeting comes as Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr. has repeatedly hyped China’s missile test in July, while “representatives” from the Taiwan region are also in Palau to attend PIF-related events, putting geopolitical factors under greater scrutiny.A Chinese expert said the PIF should not be turned…

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale made an emergency trip back to Honiara on Sunday morning from Palau after a motion of no confidence was filed against him.Wale was in Palau to attend the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting as its current chair. He was suppose to hand over the chairmanship to Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr in Palau.Wale, 57, was elected prime minister of the country on 15 May and has been in office for just over 100 days.The no-confidence motion against him on over the weekend has been filed by East Malaita MP and Minister of Home Affairs…

Beijing is reportedly utilizing travel warnings as a geopolitical weapon, targeting Palau’s tourism-dependent economy to force a shift in diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. The governments of the United States and Taiwan have raised alarms over a recent Chinese travel advisory regarding Palau. While Beijing frames the alert as a standard security measure, critics and diplomatic allies view it as a calculated move to undermine Palau’s strategic alliance with the U.S. and its formal ties with Taiwan. Tourism as a Tool of Economic Statecraft China has a documented history of using tourism flows as leverage over Pacific Island nations.…