Author: TMC Palau

Palau is growing so-called super corals that are more resistant to high water temperatures. The reefs of this small Pacific island nation have avoided the mass coral bleaching that has affected major reef systems, including Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.The resilience of Palau’s reefsAccording to Al Jazeera English, Palau’s reefs have unusually high heat resistance. As average global temperatures continue to rise, the country is cultivating corals known as super corals.The 101 East program examines whether Palau’s experience can help protect the world’s coral reefs from climate change-driven destruction. To do so, journalists visited Palau and Australia.More current news is available…

Taipei, Aug. 29 (CNA) Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) attended the opening of the Pacific Prosperity Exhibit in Palau on Friday, showcasing Taiwan’s cooperation with Pacific allies and like-minded countries.Lin attended at the invitation of Palauan President Surangel Whipps, Jr. and toured the exhibition with Whipps, Palauan officials and representatives from the United States, Japan and Australia, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Saturday.The exhibition presented cooperation projects involving Taiwan, its Pacific allies and the three countries in areas including low-carbon energy, social empowerment, smart agriculture, smart healthcare, digital resilience and infrastructure, according to MOFA.Visitors also viewed an immersive…

Pacific leaders seek greater control over their security and resources as China, the US and their partners compete for influenceSummit will test whether island nations can overcome divisions over Taiwan, ocean minerals and competing defense partnershipsLeaders of Pacific island nations will gather in Palau from Aug. 30 to Sept. 4 for a summit that could test whether the region can maintain a common voice while major powers compete for strategic influence and access to its vast ocean resources.The 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting will be held under the theme “Building Economies: Life. Action. Unity.”​​​The forum has 18 members: Australia,…

Analysis: As leaders from around the region begin to gather in Palau for the annual Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), unease is building as further fractures in the group emerge, writes 1News Pacific Correspondent Barbara Dreaver.Still bruised from China firing a test missile across and then into the Pacific ocean, leaders weren’t able to issue a joint statement of protest as Nauru and Kiribati, who have close links to Beijing, wouldn’t agree to it.Now, in a new development, Kiribati President Taneti Maamau has pulled out of attending this important meeting and has not sent any minister, politician or even the Secretary…

AS they gather in Palau this week for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum, regional leaders want development partners to focus on their Blue Pacific agenda on climate, oceans and human security. However, they can’t escape entanglement in the strategic competition between the United States and People’s Republic of China (PRC), symbolised by an unresolved debate over missile testing in the region. On July 6, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) launched a JL-2 ballistic missile from a submarine in the South China Sea, to fly thousands of kilometres across the Pacific. It was the first time that China had launched…

Hamish Chimanlal, a Tongan national of Indian and Fijian descent, has fallen in love with taekwondo and believes his destiny is to continue excelling in the sport.Chimanlal, born and bred in Nuku’alofa, is now training and studying in Auckland.The University of Auckland student is chasing his dream in the martial art, which first sparked his interest in because it reminded him of the Kung Fu movies he watched as a kid.Last month, Chimanlal won gold at the Kimunyong Cup 2026 in South Korea, claiming the title in the Senior Male 2 Knife-Hand Breaking division. The win has boosted his love…

One-China principle. Illustration: Liu Xiangya/GTTwo island countries in the South Pacific have recently shown sharply contrasting approaches toward Taiwan region: on one side, Kiribati has begun promoting constitutional amendments to enshrine its one-China position, seeking to prevent repeated fluctuations in its diplomatic stance; on the other side, Palau has insisted on allowing a “representative” from the Taiwan authorities to attend this year’s Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM), continuing to maintain so-called “diplomatic ties.” The one-China principle is a basic norm in international relations, a broad consensus of the international community, and, more importantly, the correct choice for countries seeking…

A Northern Mariana Islands former mixed martial art (MMA) fighter, who has developed the reputation of being something of a journeyman, says combat sports offer young people more opportunities than in the past.Kelvin “The Big Hit” Fitial shared his thoughts after his first-round knock-out win over an American opponent at Big Dawg Bare Knuckle Boxing 7 (BDBKB 7) in California over the weekend.The win sees Fitial, 42, mark a successful return to the win column following a loss in his BDBKB promotional debut in April.It also continues his transition from MMA into bare-knuckle competition, where he has built a 2-1…

Approximately one thousand square meters of public beach have been illegally occupied and vegetation removed, in a protected area, to make way for a hotel’s beach club. The La Maddalena Coast Guard has confirmed the illegal occupation of a large portion of the beach by a local hotel in the Municipality of Palau. Analysis of the orthophotos available on the geoportal and a subsequent site inspection revealed the presence of sun loungers, umbrellas, and walkways on the beach, without any state title. Furthermore, verification of the historical sequence of the images revealed a progressive transformation of the landscape: the Mediterranean…

A Pacific maritime research and policy centre is raising concerns about a Japanese government proposal to the United Nations agency responsible for regulating international shipping.The Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport (MCST) in Majuro, the Marshall Islands, released a statement on Japan’s revised proposal submitted to the International Maritime Orgainsation (IMO) regarding the decarbonisaiton of the global shipping industry.The centre said that Japan’s submission ahead of the 85th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC85) meeting in November proposes “unambitious greenhouse-gas fuel-intensity reduction targets”.It said the proposal also “moves away from a central global carbon fund towards more flexible…