China comfortable with Tonga debt, SODELPA angry at rising costs, and new species of kangaroo declared in PNG
China promises it would negotiate with Tonga on debt payment
China's ambassador to Tonga has denied engaging in "debt trap" diplomacy in the Pacific, saying that if the heavily indebted country cannot repay its loans, "we can talk and negotiate in a friendly, diplomatic manner".
The Guardian reports Cao Xiaolin told a gathering in Nuku'alofa - a rare opportunity for journalists to question Chinese officials - that preferential loans from China came with "no political strings attached" and that Beijing would never force countries to repay the loans.
Photo: 123RF
Tonga, which was hit by a volcanic eruption and tsunami in January, has external debt of $US195 million, or 36 percent of its GDP, of which two-thirds is owed to China's Exim Bank.
Debt repayments to China are due to spike in 2024, on a loan used to rebuild its central business district after riots in 2006.
"For a long time, some media have misinterpreted the preferential loans from China to Tonga," said Xiaolin.
"They fabricated the so-called Chinese 'debt trap' in malicious intentions to defame and smear China and disrupt China's cooperation with Tonga."
He said Tonga's government requested the loans from Exim bank and that it had started paying them back already, "which indicates a healthy status of Tonga's fiscal and economic system and has sent a positive signal to the international community".
When asked how much Tonga owes China, Xiaolin said he could not provide the figures.
Fiji party concerned about rising costs
Fiji's main opposition is demanding the government subsidise "skyrocketing" fuel prices to cushion the impact on citizens.
From today, the costs of diesel, motor spirit, kerosene, and premix are set to increase between 11 cents and 36 cents per litre due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) leader Viliame Gavoka says Fijians are already suffering record levels of poverty.
Gavoka said Sodelpa is "stunned" that prime minister Frank Bainimarama's government continues to transfer the burden of the increased global prices and high freight costs directly to citizens.
He is calling on the government to "seriously intervene" and protect the people for Fiji by subsidising the fuel costs.
Qantas announces flights to Apia
Australia's main airline, Qantas, has announced direct flights to and from Samoa.
The airline's website said travel to Samoa from Australia is only approved for Samoan citizens, permit holders, and approved contracted workers.
Last month Qantas applied for its licence to travel between Samoa and Australia.
It proposes to launch direct services from Brisbane and Sydney to Apia with additional frequencies and city pairs to be added.
The website says travelling has changed, and passengers may need to do more planning and preparation before take-off.
AirNZ back flying to Tahiti
Air New Zealand will resume flights to French Polynesia from Auckland on July 4.
The company is operating two weekly flights to and from the territory.
Despite a five percent increase in ticket prices, three quarters of the Air New Zealand flights from Papeete to Auckland have already been booked.
PNG kangaroo is actually a species of its own
A primitive kangaroo has been classified as a new species, after re-analysis of fossil jawbones and teeth found in the highlands of Papua New Guinea in the 1970s.
The extinct animal is believed to have been a rainforest browser, descended from a primitive genus that migrated from Australia to New Guinea millions of years ago.
The fossils were discovered on an expedition led by archaeologist Mary-Jane Mountain in the 1970s.
They were then classified in 1983 as belonging to a species in the genus Protemnodon.
But researchers from Flinders University reclassified the fossils as belonging to a new genus of kangaroo, after analysing 3D scans of the jawbones and teeth.
The researchers propose that the kangaroo now be known as Nombe nombe.
Samoa's new police commissioner
Long-time Samoa Police spokesperson Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo has been approved by Cabinet as the new Police Commissioner, nearly a year after the resignation of the last Commissioner.
Samoa Observer reports the Minister of Police, Faualo Harry Schuster, confirmed the appointment of Auapaau on Thursday after the Cabinet meeting.
Auapa'au has served in the Police force for 24 years, and is currently the Deputy Police Commissioner.
The position has been vacant since August last year when the then Commissioner, Fuiavailiili Egon Keil, resigned.
New agency in Pago Pago for emergencies
American Samoa's governor has established a new government agency, which will be responsible for providing search, rescue, fire protection, marine patrol and emergency medical services.
The new agency, called the American Samoa Search and Rescue Agency, takes over the operations of the Fire Bureau and Marine Patrol.
Current funding from all these divisions, as well as personnel, will transfer to the new agency.
The governor, Lemanu Peleti Mauga, plans to submit to the Fono - or territorial legislature - next month legislation establishing the new agency under local law.
Community members are hopeful that the new agency will improve fire bureau's service, especially response times.
High Commissioner to Tonga starts job
New Zealand's new High Commissioner to Tonga, Matt Howell, has formally begun his three-year term.
Howell, who previously served as high commissioner to Tuvalu, succeeds Tiffany Babington.
Tonga's Prime Minister Hu'akavameiliku Siaosi Sovaleni said diplomatic relations with New Zealand remain strong and positive.
New Zealand is one of Tonga's biggest aid providers.