Latest news with #SurangelWhipps
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Palau president wants Taiwan to get a fair go at PIF
President Surangel Whipps Jr. at his first state visit to Taiwan in May 2025 after the inauguration of his second term. Photo: Supplied/ Office of the President Palau's president wants to see Taiwan given full access at this year's Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders' meeting. It was great to see 17 out of 18 leaders in Tonga for last year's meeting, Surangel Whipps Jr said - a sense of unity he wants to continue. "That's the record since we've gotten back together. Let's ensure that that continues, because that's what we need to see." He said he has heard that "there's been some difficulty in Taiwan gaining access". Whipps asked the PIF team to make sure they are doing all that it's responsible to do, to make sure the forum conference is a success, and everybody's there that's supposed to be able to participate. A Solomon Islands Government spokesperson said at this stage the government is not in a position to comment on participation or related arrangements for the PIF Leaders' Summit. They pointed out that the registration process for the summit has not yet opened and formal invitations will be issued in due course. "As host, Solomon Islands continues to work closely with the Forum Secretariat and Forum Member countries on all preparations." Whipps has just arrived back from a state visit to Taiwan, where its foreign minister Lin Chia-lung expressed his country's appreciation for Palau's consistent support on the international stage. Three Forum members - Tuvalu, Palau and Marshall Islands - have diplomatic ties with Taiwan and not China. Taiwan has been a development partner since 1992. China has been a dialogue partner of the PIF since 1990. Last year, RNZ Pacific captured China's representative to the meeting in Tonga asking Cook Islands prime minister Mark Brown to change the final communique which recognised Taiwan and China separately. Earlier this month, Solomon Islands' prime minister Jeremiah Manele warned government workers against engaging with "Taiwan". In a statement, Jeremiah Manele reaffirmed his government's commitment to the One-China Policy. The ABC reported a newly appointed government minister was pressured by China to quit an international group critical of its policies. Beijing's Embassy in Honiara said the allegations are baseless. It said China will never interfere in Solomon Islands internal affairs and also firmly oppose any other countries' interference in Solomon Islands' internal affairs. The president of Kiribati, Taneti Maamau, and top diplomats from Niue, Tonga, Nauru, Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Fiji and Samoa have been in China for a two-day meeting. In a joint statement, published to the website of China's foreign affairs ministry, the parties said: "All parties recognize that there is but one China in the world, that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. "China firmly opposes 'Taiwan independence' in all forms and commits to realizing national reunification, which has gained wide understanding and support at the meeting. "China firmly supports Pacific Island countries in upholding their sovereignty and independence." Meanwhile, a regional architecture review (RRA) has entered its final stage. It's the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' response to the increasing interest from a growing number of Forum dialogue partners wanting a seat - and a say - at the regional decision-making table. Palau's president has made it clear to the RRA committee that, "it is important that all our partners are able to be present at PIF".
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Palau president wants to Taiwan to get a fair go at PIF
President Surangel Whipps Jr. at his first state visit to Taiwan in May 2025 after the inauguration of his second term. Photo: Supplied/ Office of the President Palau's president wants to see Taiwan given full access at this year's Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders' meeting. It was great to see 17 out of 18 leaders in Tonga for last year's meeting, Surangel Whipps Jr said - a sense of unity he wants to continue. "That's the record since we've gotten back together. Let's ensure that that continues, because that's what we need to see." He said he has heard that "there's been some difficulty in Taiwan gaining access". Whipps asked the PIF team to make sure they are doing all that it's responsible to do, to make sure the forum conference is a success, and everybody's there that's supposed to be able to participate. A Solomon Islands Government spokesperson said at this stage the government is not in a position to comment on participation or related arrangements for the PIF Leaders' Summit. They pointed out that the registration process for the summit has not yet opened and formal invitations will be issued in due course. "As host, Solomon Islands continues to work closely with the Forum Secretariat and Forum Member countries on all preparations." Whipps has just arrived back from a state visit to Taiwan, where its foreign minister Lin Chia-lung expressed his country's appreciation for Palau's consistent support on the international stage. Three Forum members - Tuvalu, Palau and Marshall Islands - have diplomatic ties with Taiwan and not China. Taiwan has been a development partner since 1992. China has been a dialogue partner of the PIF since 1990. Last year, RNZ Pacific captured China's representative to the meeting in Tonga asking Cook Islands prime minister Mark Brown to change the final communique which recognised Taiwan and China separately. Earlier this month, Solomon Islands' prime minister Jeremiah Manele warned government workers against engaging with "Taiwan". In a statement, Jeremiah Manele reaffirmed his government's commitment to the One-China Policy. The ABC reported a newly appointed government minister was pressured by China to quit an international group critical of its policies. Beijing's Embassy in Honiara said the allegations are baseless. It said China will never interfere in Solomon Islands internal affairs and also firmly oppose any other countries' interference in Solomon Islands' internal affairs. The president of Kiribati, Taneti Maamau, and top diplomats from Niue, Tonga, Nauru, Micronesia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Fiji and Samoa have been in China for a two-day meeting. In a joint statement, published to the website of China's foreign affairs ministry, the parties said: "All parties recognize that there is but one China in the world, that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. "China firmly opposes 'Taiwan independence' in all forms and commits to realizing national reunification, which has gained wide understanding and support at the meeting. "China firmly supports Pacific Island countries in upholding their sovereignty and independence." Meanwhile, a regional architecture review (RRA) has entered its final stage. It's the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' response to the increasing interest from a growing number of Forum dialogue partners wanting a seat - and a say - at the regional decision-making table. Palau's president has made it clear to the RRA committee that, "it is important that all our partners are able to be present at PIF".
Japan Times
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Palau stands with Taiwan 'until death do us part,' President Whipps says
Pacific nation Palau will not cave to diplomatic pressure from China and will remain an ally of Taiwan "until death do us part," President Surangel Whipps said Thursday. One of the few remaining nations to recognize Taiwan's claim to statehood, Palau has repeatedly risked Beijing's ire over the years by refusing to reverse its stance. "China has one goal, and that is for us to renounce Taiwan," Whipps said during a speech at an Australian think tank on Thursday. "But we hope that they understand — that decision is a sovereign decision and no country tells us who we should be friends with. "We kind of believe in that principle, that when you're married, you're married until death do us part." The Palauan archipelago — a string of limestone islands and coral atolls — lies about 800 kilometers east of the Philippines. Whipps has overseen the expansion of U.S. military interests since winning power in 2020. This has included the ongoing construction of a long-range U.S. radar outpost, a crucial early warning system as China ramps up military activity in the Taiwan Strait. Palau also plans to dredge sections of its commercial port, making it deeper to allow more visits from U.S. Navy ships. This risked painting a target on Palau's back, Whipps said on Thursday. "Yes, there is concern that now we become a target," he told Australia's Lowy Institute. "I think that's why it's important that the ports and the airports are upgraded so that we are ready to be protected if a conflict does arise. "Because of our location, no matter what, we're going to be a target for somebody." While Taiwan sees itself as sovereign, most nations, including the United States, do not recognise its claim to statehood and instead have formal diplomatic ties with China.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Yahoo
Australians praised after Qantas adds new route, staffing 'not normal' before fatal plane crash, supermarket shortage continues
Hello and welcome to Yahoo's live news blog this Friday. Staffing in an air control tower at Washington DC's airport when a deadly plane collision occurred was "not normal", investigations have found. All 64 people on the American Airlines flight, as well as three people on a military helicopter, died when the aircrafts crashed into the Potomac River. Palau's president Surangel Whipps says Australians are the "ideal visitors" to his country. It comes as direct flights from Brisbane to the tiny Pacific nation began last month, with Qantas saying they've seen huge interest in the destination. Follow along as we bring you regular updates throughout the day. A report by the Federal Aviation Administration seen by the Associated Press says staffing in the air traffic control tower was 'not normal' at time of the deadly midair collision at Washington DC's national airport. The collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight from Kansas killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft, officials said, as they scrutinised the actions of the military pilot after the country's worst aviation disaster in a generation. At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the jet late Wednesday while it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, officials said. The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter. A source with direct knowledge of the situation told ABC News in the US that a common change to combine two controller positions into one due to low traffic was done 40 minutes earlier than it normally occurs. With AP Police have seized abseiling equipment and charged men allegedly responsible for a graffiti image that has been plastered across Melbourne in seemingly impossible spots. The 'Pam the Bird' image has been painted on landmarks, trains, signs, buildings and walls across Melbourne. A towering clock face above Flinders Street Station was tagged in July, garnering much commentary online. On January 20, a large hotel in South Wharf was painted. An Instagram page purported to be run by the people responsible has nearly 70,000 followers. On Friday morning, police announced a 21-year-old man had been charged with more than 50 offences, including specifically for some of the most notable, eye-catching Pam the Bird installations. The Yarraville man was arrested this week, and police seized abseiling equipment, spray paint, illegal fireworks and property 'suspected to be the proceeds of crime', police say in a statement. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Just another bird. (@goodbirdart) 'In one of the most high-profile incidents, it's alleged the man scaled and defaced the heritage listed Flinders Street Railway Station clock tower on 10 July 2024,' a police spokesperson said. Police will allege the man is responsible for graffitiing the South Wharf hotel this month. 'It's alleged he is also responsible for graffiti plastered across the rail network as well as the 'Cheese Stick' column on CityLink, a television station building in Docklands and concrete silos on Mercer Street in Geelong,' the spokesperson said. Police estimate this man is allegedly responsible for $100,000 of damage. Police also arrested and charged a 39-year-old Abbotsford man. 'He has been charged with more than 20 criminal damage offences relating to the graffiti of suburban trains and the Docklands office building,' police said. Both men were denied bail and are expected to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday. In 2023, a 20-year-old man was charged after allegedly being caught painting the image inside the city's underground rail loop. - NCA NewsWire Coles and Woolworths continue to limit the sale of eggs in some stores as Australians face an egg shortage. High demand over the holiday period has intensified the problem which Victorian egg farmer Danyel Cucinotta said could last until 2026, the ABC reported earlier this month. Bird flu and a shift away from caged eggs are the main causes of the shortage. Coles and Woolworths both told the Guardian they are working to rebuild their supply after a busy Christmas. Australians have come in for praise from Palau's president as his country looks to increase visitors to the tiny Pacific nation. President Surangel Whipps said Aussies were the perfect guest after Qantas launched flights to the island nation last month. "Australians are the ideal visitors to Palau. You respect the environment you care about nature and you love to explore and Palau has all of those things," he told ABC News Breakfast on Friday, pointing to research on incoming travellers. The airline told the Sydney Morning Herald they had been overwhelmed with the number of bookings to what Qantas regional general manager Anthony Penney said was an "untouched gem" of a location. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. A report by the Federal Aviation Administration seen by the Associated Press says staffing in the air traffic control tower was 'not normal' at time of the deadly midair collision at Washington DC's national airport. The collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight from Kansas killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft, officials said, as they scrutinised the actions of the military pilot after the country's worst aviation disaster in a generation. At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the jet late Wednesday while it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, officials said. The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter. A source with direct knowledge of the situation told ABC News in the US that a common change to combine two controller positions into one due to low traffic was done 40 minutes earlier than it normally occurs. With AP Police have seized abseiling equipment and charged men allegedly responsible for a graffiti image that has been plastered across Melbourne in seemingly impossible spots. The 'Pam the Bird' image has been painted on landmarks, trains, signs, buildings and walls across Melbourne. A towering clock face above Flinders Street Station was tagged in July, garnering much commentary online. On January 20, a large hotel in South Wharf was painted. An Instagram page purported to be run by the people responsible has nearly 70,000 followers. On Friday morning, police announced a 21-year-old man had been charged with more than 50 offences, including specifically for some of the most notable, eye-catching Pam the Bird installations. The Yarraville man was arrested this week, and police seized abseiling equipment, spray paint, illegal fireworks and property 'suspected to be the proceeds of crime', police say in a statement. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Just another bird. (@goodbirdart) 'In one of the most high-profile incidents, it's alleged the man scaled and defaced the heritage listed Flinders Street Railway Station clock tower on 10 July 2024,' a police spokesperson said. Police will allege the man is responsible for graffitiing the South Wharf hotel this month. 'It's alleged he is also responsible for graffiti plastered across the rail network as well as the 'Cheese Stick' column on CityLink, a television station building in Docklands and concrete silos on Mercer Street in Geelong,' the spokesperson said. Police estimate this man is allegedly responsible for $100,000 of damage. Police also arrested and charged a 39-year-old Abbotsford man. 'He has been charged with more than 20 criminal damage offences relating to the graffiti of suburban trains and the Docklands office building,' police said. Both men were denied bail and are expected to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Friday. In 2023, a 20-year-old man was charged after allegedly being caught painting the image inside the city's underground rail loop. - NCA NewsWire Coles and Woolworths continue to limit the sale of eggs in some stores as Australians face an egg shortage. High demand over the holiday period has intensified the problem which Victorian egg farmer Danyel Cucinotta said could last until 2026, the ABC reported earlier this month. Bird flu and a shift away from caged eggs are the main causes of the shortage. Coles and Woolworths both told the Guardian they are working to rebuild their supply after a busy Christmas. Australians have come in for praise from Palau's president as his country looks to increase visitors to the tiny Pacific nation. President Surangel Whipps said Aussies were the perfect guest after Qantas launched flights to the island nation last month. "Australians are the ideal visitors to Palau. You respect the environment you care about nature and you love to explore and Palau has all of those things," he told ABC News Breakfast on Friday, pointing to research on incoming travellers. The airline told the Sydney Morning Herald they had been overwhelmed with the number of bookings to what Qantas regional general manager Anthony Penney said was an "untouched gem" of a location.
