https://www.scmp.com/rss/522543/feed The latest news and top stories on Pacific Forum. A prominent Honolulu, Hawaii-based non-profit foreign policy research institute, Pacific Forum is dedicated to enhancing mutual understanding trust and promoting peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region. Founded in 1975, its main areas of activity include conducting policy-relevant research and fostering dialogue on political security economic and business issues. The institute collaborates with a network of research organisations... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Far-flung Pacific nations ⁠are reeling from the impact of a global ⁠fuel crisis as authorities scramble to manage energy supplies while families must grapple ⁠with fuel curbs and higher costs for food and access to healthcare. Global oil supplies are running down as the US-Israeli war with Iran disrupts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which typically carries about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows. Aid agencies have warned that the crisis has driven up prices... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350937/pacific-islanders-skip-food-medicine-amid-global-fuel-shortage-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350937/pacific-islanders-skip-food-medicine-amid-global-fuel-shortage-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 01:37:07 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong An oil-supply shock caused by the US-Israel conflict with Iran is complicating US President Donald Trump’s already fragile mineral-alliance strategy, analysts said, given the acute vulnerability of energy-intensive rare earth refining and critical metal supply chains to such disruption. Oil and gas are essential for the critical mineral industry, according to analysts. Hydrometallurgical extraction for rare earth elements and other metals, such as nickel and cobalt, relies on a suite of chemical... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348809/trumps-fragile-ex-china-mineral-alliance-plan-faces-cost-surge-amid-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3348809/trumps-fragile-ex-china-mineral-alliance-plan-faces-cost-surge-amid-iran-war-oil-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The People’s Liberation Army said it would redouble efforts to crack down on “fakery that undermines combat capability” and improve scrutiny of training and drills to tackle “deep-seated problems”. The pledge was made in an article in official newspaper PLA Daily on Tuesday outlining anti-corruption priorities for the year. It came soon after last month’s announcement that top general Zhang Youxia, first vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, was under investigation for corruption,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342631/chinas-military-vows-improve-scrutiny-training-after-fall-zhang-youxia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342631/chinas-military-vows-improve-scrutiny-training-after-fall-zhang-youxia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Any decision by Australia to regain control of Darwin Port is likely to differ from Panama’s move to nullify a contract on its geostrategically vital canal, as fears of Chinese retaliation and a limited security consensus limit Canberra’s options, analysts said – though they warned the issue could still reopen strains in the bilateral relationship. Panama’s Supreme Court ruled on Friday against a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings, ending its rights to operate two ports on the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342192/china-ties-make-darwin-port-bigger-test-australia-panama-port-dispute-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342192/china-ties-make-darwin-port-bigger-test-australia-panama-port-dispute-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:54:32 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China is accelerating efforts to secure its copper supply chain, designating the metal as critical across strategic industries such as electric vehicles, artificial intelligence and defence amid rising geopolitical tensions. Provincial governments are leading the charge. On Monday, Jiangxi – already a hub for heavy rare earth mines – pledged in its 15th five-year plan to develop a world-leading hub for advanced copper-based new materials. That follows a similar move in Shandong, where provincial... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3336765/china-bets-big-copper-weaponisation-risks-low-unlike-rare-earths-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3336765/china-bets-big-copper-weaponisation-risks-low-unlike-rare-earths-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 10:00:22 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Senior US officials on Monday pushed back against suggestions of American retreat from the Indo-Pacific, declaring that Washington is recalibrating its foreign assistance to more effectively outcompete China in the strategically vital region while maintaining support for allies through targeted aid and security cooperation. The focus, they said, is shifting away from broad assistance towards targeted partnerships that serve US interests and advance a free and open Indo-Pacific, ranging from... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3336552/us-rejects-claims-indo-pacific-retreat-says-aid-being-recalibrated-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3336552/us-rejects-claims-indo-pacific-retreat-says-aid-being-recalibrated-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 22:15:49 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China has issued four travel advisories warning of risks in the Philippines since April, with analysts saying that two-way trade, investment and higher education exchanges could slow if they are heeded by Chinese citizens. The latest notice, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 30, described public security in the Philippines as “unstable” with “numerous crimes targeting Chinese citizens”. A similar advisory went out on April 1, and the Ministry of Education issued warnings in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325357/what-will-chinas-travel-warnings-about-philippines-mean-business-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325357/what-will-chinas-travel-warnings-about-philippines-mean-business-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 06:00:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Pacific Island leaders issued a call for an “ocean of peace” on Wednesday, urging respect for their sovereignty at a summit clouded by China’s alleged meddling and great power competition in the strategically vital region. After a day of largely closed-door talks in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara, the 18 Pacific Islands Forum leaders endorsed a Fiji-backed push for a statement proclaiming the region’s cohesion and its desire for peace and climate action. A heavy police presence guarded... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3325042/pacific-islands-leaders-call-ocean-peace-forum-after-china-claims-make-waves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3325042/pacific-islands-leaders-call-ocean-peace-forum-after-china-claims-make-waves?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:15:21 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Off the shores of Palawan, more than 3,600 troops from Australia and the Philippines are taking part in their largest-ever military drills, marking a decisive shift in Canberra’s Indo-Pacific security strategy. Exercise Alon, launched on Friday, is taking place less than 300 nautical miles (555km) from the Philippine-held Thitu Island in the Spratly archipelago – an area at the heart of escalating territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Beijing claims the Spratly island group alongside... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322450/australia-philippines-stage-largest-ever-drills-denial-chinas-aggression?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3322450/australia-philippines-stage-largest-ever-drills-denial-chinas-aggression?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines is taking part for the first time in Australia’s largest bilateral military exercises with the United States, joining thousands of troops from across the region for war games running until July 27. Analysts say the move reflects Manila’s broader strategy of reinforcing defence ties, not just with Washington but also with like-minded regional powers, as US allies increasingly seek to diversify their security relationships and assert greater strategic autonomy amid uncertainty over... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318615/philippines-debut-australia-us-war-games-new-normal-regional-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3318615/philippines-debut-australia-us-war-games-new-normal-regional-defence-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 10:30:44 +0000