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☆ Biden’s controversial ‘cannibalism’ remarks meet pushback in Papua New Guinea
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“President Biden’s remarks may have been a slip of the tongue; however, my country does not deserve to be labeled as such,” Marape said. While cannibalism was documented among remote tribes in the region in the mid-20th century, Papua New Guinea has struggled to shed stereotypes in more recent decades, and Biden’s comments were met with criticism inside the country. “These apparent untrue remarks by the sitting President is a low point in our bilateral relations,” Tkatchenko said. “He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals in New Guinea at the time. When asked about the remarks, the White House did not repeat Biden’s assertions about cannibals or his uncle’s plane being shot down.

Persons: Joe Biden’s, Biden, Ambrose Finnegan’s, James Marape, Biden’s, ” Marape, ”, Justin Tkatchenko, Washington, ” Tkatchenko, Marape, “, Ambrose Finnegan, ” “, Finnegan “ Organizations: CNN, Papua New Guinea, Allied, Australian, Embassy, Moresby, Defense POW, Agency Locations: Papua New Guinea, Pacific, New Guinea, Papua New, Port Moresby, Beijing, United States, ”, U.S, Pennsylvania

☆ PNG Assures Australia on Security Ties as Leader Marape Arrives on Visit
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Australia and the United States have been alarmed by China's security ambitions in the Pacific Islands region since Beijing struck a security and policing deal with Solomon Islands. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma urged PNG to reject a security deal with China, in comments reported by the Sydney Morning Herald on Monday. PNG would not strike a security agreement with China, he said in an interview with the ABC broadcast on Wednesday. China "understand clearly where we stand on security in the region and that is with our close traditional partners, Australia, U.S., New Zealand", he added. Even before the riots, he had pointed to law-and-order concerns and said boosting security would help to attract foreign investment in PNG's burgeoning resources sector.

Persons: James Marape, Marape, Justin Tkachenko, Tkachenko, Richard Verma, Tkatchenko, Penny Wong, Kirsty Needham, Michael Perry Organizations: SYDNEY, Papua New Guinea, Reuters, U.S, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian, ABC Locations: Papua New, Canberra, Australia, China, United States, Beijing, Solomon Islands, Port Moresby, U.S, , New Zealand

☆ US Official Urges Papua New Guinea to Reject Chinese Security Deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A senior U.S. state department official urged Papua New Guinea(PNG) to turn down China's offer of a potential security pact, warning the Pacific nation that any security guarantee with Beijing comes with consequences and costs. "We've seen that the Chinese commitment in defence or investment comes with a high cost. That's what we'd say to PNG," United States Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma told the Sydney Morning Herald in an interview published on Monday. Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko told Reuters last week that it was in early talks with China on a potential security deal. PNG has previously said Australia and the U.S. were its security partners, while China was an important economic partner.

Persons: Richard Verma, Justin Tkachenko, Tkachenko, Verma, James Marape, it's, Renju Jose, Stephen Coates Organizations: SYDNEY, Beijing, United States, Sydney Morning Herald, Papua New Guinea, Reuters, Solomon Islands, South Locations: U.S, Papua New Guinea, Papua New, China, Australia, Beijing, Solomon, Sydney

☆ A Week After Deadly Riots, a Fragile Peace in Papua New Guinea
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Christopher Cottrell | Natasha Frost | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At the edge of the prime minister’s compound, hundreds of protesters tugged at the gates and set a guard booth on fire. “We are not calling in the Australians,” Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea told a reporter visiting him in his office. “We can handle this ourselves.”Last week’s deadly unrest caught officials unaware and left Mr. Marape grappling with a fast-moving crisis. Papua New Guinea has a very large youth population, but few jobs to offer its young people, making economic hardship even more severe. Within hours, Port Moresby, the capital, was rocked by a level of violence it had not seen in decades.

Persons: James Marape Organizations: Bullets, ” Locations: Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby

☆ Papua New Guinea to recruit Australia police in security deal - minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape will travel to Canberra on Thursday to sign the security agreement, his office said. "The security arrangement is in the best interest of Papua New Guinea and also for Australia and its regional security interests," Marape said in a statement on Tuesday. The Australian Federal Police and the defence minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the security agreement. "Its a big issue and Australia can help us out considerably," said Tkatchenko, who began negotiations with Australia on the deal last year. They will be contracted officers reporting directly to the police commissioner of Papua New Guinea and they will be under all the laws of PNG.

Persons: James Marape, Lillian Suwanrumpha, Marape, Justin Tkatchenko, Tkatchenko, Kirsty Needham, Edmund Klamann Organizations: Guinea's, APEC, APEC Business, Economic Cooperation, Rights, Papua New Guinea, Australia, U.S, Reuters, Defence, Australian Federal Police, PNG Royal Constabulary, CID, Australian, Thomson Locations: Papua, Asia, Bangkok, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, biosecurity, Papua New, Canberra, United States, China, Solomon Islands, Australia, France

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — K-pop superstar Rosé said Friday at a mental health awareness event hosted by first lady Jill Biden that it's important for the world to understand that famous people grapple with emotional struggles, too. Rosé, a part of the supergroup BLACKPINK, said having a large social media following makes her feel vulnerable, particularly when people are critical. “People who are older -- we never, ever spoke about mental health,” Biden said. Apple CEO Tim Cook opened the event but blanked briefly when the teleprompter went out. Cook recovered, telling the crowd he'd “go ahead and ad lib," then thanked everyone for coming and introduced the first lady.

Persons: —, Rosé, Jill Biden, there’s, ”, ” Biden, Vivek Murthy, Tim Cook, “, Cook, Wan, Wan Ismail, you’ve, ” Cook, ” Kim Keon Hee, Rachael Marape, Louise Araneta Organizations: FRANCISCO, Apple, Economic Cooperation, Marcos Locations: Cupertino, Asia, Pacific, California, Malaysia, South Korea, Papua New Guinea, Philippines

☆ China has a sweeping vision to reshape the world — and countries are listening
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +23 min

All this coincides with longstanding calls from countries across the developing world for an international system where they have more say. Beijing, he added, sees the US as merely “paying lip service” to the “liberal order” to hurt other countries. Sergei Savostyanov/Sputnik/ReutersIn recent years, even some countries that have for decades embraced a close partnership with the US have drawn closer to China and its vision. “Is China really trying to promote multipolarity — or does China just want to (become a) substitute (for) US influence over the world?” he asked. They also raise questions about how a more militarily and economically powerful China would behave globally, if left unchecked.

Persons: Xi Jinping, —, Xi, Vladimir Putin, General Antonio Guterres, ” Xi, , Shen Hong, they’d, ”, Yun Sun, liberalize, Sanjit Das, Shen Dingli, ‘, ’ ”, Russia’s Putin, Bashar al, Assad —, Assad’s, Sergei Savostyanov, Ali Sarwar Naqvi, “ We’ve, James Marape, ’, Rubens Duarte, Li Zhiquan, “, Tong Zhao, Zhao, Ted Aljibe, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Zhang Youxia, Beijing’s, Gilberto Teodoro Jr, BRICS, Weeks, Joe Biden, Sergio Lima, ” — Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, United Nations, Forum, China, Communist, CNN, Beijing, Washington, Getty, Stimson, Bank, World Trade Organization, . Riot, Bloomberg, Initiative, Asian, Global, Sputnik, Reuters, Center for International Strategic Studies, Papua New Guinea, multipolarity, China News Service, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, Global Security Initiative, NATO, Russia, Philippine Defense, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, United, New, Seven, Ministry, Global Security, Group, UN, Communist Party Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, United States, Ukraine, Gaza, Russian, Xinhua, Washington, South, Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, America, Shanghai, West, Hangzhou, Israel, Pakistan, Pakistani, Islamabad, Papua New, Brazil, Indonesia, Europe, Asia, Scarborough, South China, AFP, Moscow, Russia, “, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Palestine, India, South Africa, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, United Arab Emirates, New Delhi, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Caribbean, ” Beijing

☆ Solomon Islands leader says he skipped Biden summit to avoid 'lecture'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare addresses the 78th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2023. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare said he skipped a Pacific Islands leaders summit at the White House this week to avoid a "lecture" and because he had more pressing issues at home. "They lecture you about how good they are", he said, according to a video of the press conference published by Solomon Islands media company Tavuli News on Wednesday evening. Sogavare said he returned because there were 10 weeks left of parliament at home in Solomon Islands, which was more important. At the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Sogavare had praised China's development cooperation as "less restrictive".

Persons: Manasseh Sogavare, Eduardo Munoz, Manesseh Sogavare, Joe Biden, Sogavare, James Marape, Biden, Kirsty Needham, Anil D'Silva Organizations: Islands, General Assembly, REUTERS, Rights, Solomon Islands, Pacific, United Nations, Island Forum, Solomon, Biden Administration, Papua New Guinea, United Nations General Assembly, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Solomon, China, Solomon Islands, United States, Washington, Pacific, Papua New, New York

During the three-day meeting, the U.S. will announce diplomatic recognition for two Pacific islands, promise new money for infrastructure, including to improve Internet connectivity via undersea cables, and honor regional leaders at an NFL game. SOME SKIP SUMMITSolomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who has deepened his country's ties with China, will skip the summit. The White House in 2022 said the U.S. would invest more than $810 million in expanded programs to aid the Pacific islands. She added that Pacific island countries "welcome the U.S. re-engagement with the region, but don't want geopolitical tussles to result in an escalation of militarization. "Vanuatu Prime Minister Sato Kilman will also not attend the summit, his office told Reuters.

Persons: Manasseh Sogavare, James Marape, David Kabua, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Joe Biden, Biden, Washington, Sogavare, Meg Keen, Sato Kilman, Kilman, Ishmael Kalsakau, David Brunnstrom, Trevor Hunnicutt, Kirsty Needham, Don Durfee, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Solomon Islands, Guinea's, Samoa's, U.S ., NFL, White, Coast Guard, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Solomon, Biden, Pacific, Australia's Lowy Institute, USAID, Vanuatu, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Solomon, Papua, Marshall, U.S, WASHINGTON, Washington, Papua New Guinea, Asia, United States, Cook, Niue, Baltimore, Pacific, China, Beijing, Congress, Australia, The U.S, Vanuatu, Fiji, Kiribati, Hawaii, Palau, Micronesia, Sydney

☆ Papua New Guinea Opens Embassy in Jerusalem
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Dan WilliamsJERUSALEM (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea opened its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem on Tuesday, becoming only the fifth country with a full diplomatic mission in a city whose status is one of the most sensitive issues in the Middle East. Political Cartoons on World Leaders View All 226 ImagesIsrael will pay for the embassy, located in a high-rise opposite Jerusalem's biggest mall, for the first two years, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape was quoted in the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier newspaper. "Many nations choose not to open their embassies in Jerusalem, but we have made a conscious choice," Marape said at the embassy's inauguration ceremony. "For us to call ourselves Christian, paying respect to God will not be complete without recognizing that Jerusalem is the universal capital of the people and the nation of Israel," Marape said. Papua New Guinea, which occupies the eastern half of the West Pacific Island of New Guinea, has an economy based on agriculture and mining.

Persons: Dan Williams JERUSALEM, Israel, James Marape, Marape, Benjamin Netanyahu, Wassel Abu Youssef, Netanyahu, Kirsty Needham, Maayan Lubell, Ali Sawafta, Dan Williams, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Israel, Papua New Guinea, Papua New, Courier, United Nations, Washington, Palestine Liberation Organisation, West Locations: Papua New Guinea, Israel, Jerusalem, United States, Kosovo, Guatemala, Honduras, Tel Aviv, Papua New, Papua, New Guinea

☆ Papua New Guinea says to open embassy in Jerusalem next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Ammar Awad Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea will open an embassy in Jerusalem next week during a visit by Prime Minister James Marape, a spokesperson for his office said on Monday. "Yes, that is correct," said a spokesperson from Marape's office, when asked whether the country is set to open the embassy and that Marape would visit Israel next week. Israel's foreign ministry said in February Papua New Guinea would open its first embassy in the country some time in 2023. Israeli media including Channel 14 and the Times of Israel reported the inauguration of the embassy would take place on September 5. Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney Writing by Alasdair Pal Editing by Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ammar Awad, James Marape, Kirsty Needham, Alasdair Pal, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Times, Thomson Locations: Papua New Guinea, Jerusalem, Israel, Tel Aviv, United States, Kosovo, Guatemala, Honduras, Jerusalem . Israel, Sydney

☆ US not seeking permanent base in Papua New Guinea, defense secretary says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 27 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Thursday during a visit to Papua New Guinea that Washington was not seeking a permanent base in the Pacific Islands nation under a new defence agreement. Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the United States signed a defence cooperation agreement in May that sets a framework for the U.S. to refurbish PNG ports and airports for military and civilian use. read moreAustin met with PNG's Prime Minister James Marape on a visit to discuss the deepening defence ties. "I just want to be clear, we are not seeking a permanent base in PNG," Austin told a news conference in the Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby. He said the two nations were deepening an existing defence relationship, and would modernise PNG's defence force and boost interoperability.

Persons: Defense Lloyd Austin, Austin, James Marape, Marape, Kirsty Needham, Alasdair Pal, Tom Hogue, Michael Perry Organizations: Defense, United, PNG's, Beijing, Solomon Islands, China, Thomson Locations: Papua New Guinea, Washington, United States, U.S, Australia, Port Moresby, PNG's, Pacific, China, Taiwan, Solomon, Marape, Philippines, Korea, Sydney

☆ How Modi went from being banned to embraced by the United States
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Rhea Mogul | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was once shunned by the United States. But in the nine years since that ban was lifted, Modi has been progressively embraced by the White House – now more than ever. Modi will also lead celebrations for the International Day of Yoga at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday, illustrating the influence of India’s soft power. US President Joe Biden meets with Modi during the Quad leaders summit at Kantei Palace in Tokyo, on May 24, 2022. Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose for photographs at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, India, on December 6, 2021.

Persons: Narendra Modi, Modi, Joe Biden, Evan Vucci, Biden, Delhi’s, Modi’s, Daniel S, Markey, ” Markey, ”, “, Anthony Albanese, James Marape, Volodymyr Zelensky, aren’t, Saeed Khan, “ Modi, –, John Sifton, Sushant Singh, ’, Tanvi Madan, Vladimir Putin, Narayan, Madan, Vinay Kwatra, ” Madan Organizations: CNN, Indian, White, International, United Nations, Biden, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, United States Institute of Peace, Washington, Australian, Australia's, Admiralty House, Getty, Rights Watch, Amnesty International, BBC, Policy Research, Brookings Institution, Kremlin, Russia, Bloomberg, Indian Air Force, India’s Locations: United States, Washington, New York, Tokyo, India, South Asia, China, Sydney, Papua New Guinea, Japan, AFP, Asia, Gujarat, New Delhi, Delhi, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Russian, Hyderabad

☆ Bank of China chairman visits Papua New Guinea amid Sino-US strategic rivalry
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SYDNEY, June 2 (Reuters) - Bank of China (601988.SS) chairman Ge Haijiao has travelled to Papua New Guinea (PNG) as the world's fourth-largest bank seeks an operating licence in the Pacific Islands nation, which is seeking to boost China trade while expanding U.S. defence ties. China, a major infrastructure lender and creditor in the Pacific Islands, struck a security pact with PNG's neighbour Solomon Islands last year. State-owned Bank of China has applied for a commercial operating licence that is still being processed. China had grown from a rural economy to the second-largest on earth, he said, urging Bank of China to fill gaps in the PNG banking market. Bank of China said in a statement it was the first branch of a Chinese bank to open in the Pacific Island country and it would play a role in local economic revitalisation.

Persons: Ge Haijiao, Antony Blinken, James Marape, Ge, Marape, Xi Jinping, Kirsty Needham, Tang, Jamie Freed Organizations: SYDNEY, Bank of China, U.S, of, Bank of, Initiative, Thomson Locations: Papua New Guinea, China, Washington, Beijing, Solomon, Australia's Torres Strait, State, of China, Islands, Bank of China, Sydney

☆ Delay in security treaty with Australia as PNG consults 'domestic processes'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Lillian Suwanrumpha/Pool via REUTERS/File PhotoSYDNEY, May 30 (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea said a proposed security treaty with neighbour Australia would be delayed as it consults "domestic processes", a week after signing a defence agreement with the United States that sparked student protests. Papua New Guinea (PNG), a few kilometres (miles) to Australia's north, is being courted by China and the United States amid rising tensions between the two major powers. PNG Prime Minister James Marape met with Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles on Monday on the sidelines of the Korea-Pacific Islands Summit in Seoul and discussed the "proposed bilateral security treaty", Marape's office said in a statement on Tuesday. Marape had "conveyed his apologies to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the delay in formalising this proposed Treaty with Australia", it added. Marles has said Australia wants to strike an "ambitious" security treaty that will see navy, airforce and army personnel from each nation working alongside each other more often.

☆ South Korea hosts its first summit with Pacific island leaders
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, May 29 (Reuters) - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol begins the country's first summit with leaders of Pacific islands on Monday, as Seoul seeks to increase its influence in a region that has become the focus of intense geopolitical rivalry. The South Korean president held bilateral talks with some of the visiting Pacific leaders over the weekend including Kiribati President Taneti Maamau and Papua New Guinean Prime Minister James Marape. Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles will also attend the Korea-Pacific Islands Summit, his office said on Saturday, adding it would show cooperation between the 18 members of the Pacific Island Forum and South Korea for a secure region. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged more trade and development assistance in a summit with a dozen Pacific island leaders in Papua New Guinea (PNG) last week. The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken also signed a defence agreement with PNG after a Pacific summit.

☆ US and Papua New Guinea poised to sign defense pact as Washington, Beijing vie for influence in the Pacific
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The United States and Papua New Guinea are poised to sign a new bilateral defense cooperation agreement – a move that has sparked controversy in the Pacific Island nation and comes as Washington and China jostle for influence in the region. Those concerns were heightened last year after Beijing signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands – and tried, but failed, to win support for a sweeping, regional trade and security communique with Pacific Island nations. “Papua New Guinea does not have enemies but it pays to be prepared. Blinken is expected to meet with leaders of the Pacific Island Forum regional body in Port Moresby on Monday, the forum has said, taking Biden’s place at the gathering. That bid has included opening embassies in the Solomon Islands and Tonga this year, while Biden hosted Pacific Island leaders in Washington for a summit in September and released the first-ever national strategy on engaging the Pacific Islands.

☆ Modi, Blinken to meet Pacific Island leaders in Papua New Guinea
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 22 (Reuters) - India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken have arrived in Papua New Guinea ahead of meetings with Pacific Island leaders to discuss trade, climate change and regional security on Monday. Modi, who was met at the airport on Sunday evening by PNG Prime Minister James Marape, will hold a bilateral meeting on Monday morning, before hosting a regional summit with 14 Pacific Island leaders. Blinken is expected to sign a Defence Cooperation Agreement between the United States and PNG, and also hold a Pacific Island leaders meeting in the afternoon. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa, Vanuatu Prime Minister Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau, and New Caledonia President Louis Mapou were among the Pacific island leaders to arrive on Sunday. New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Australia's Pacific Minister Pat Conroy will also join the meetings.

☆ Pacific meetings, defence pact, to go ahead in Papua without Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Biden had been expected to meet with 18 leaders from the region's main bloc, the Pacific Islands Forum, and sign a defence cooperation agreement with PNG on Monday. PNG Prime Minister James Marape is expected to announce details of the defence pact with the United States on Thursday, his office told Reuters. Fiji said Pacific leaders would hold discussions with Modi on regional cooperation. The chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, said the regional meeting had originally been organised between the Pacific countries and India, and his plans to travel to PNG were unchanged. Biden will arrange another summit of Pacific island leaders this year after the disappointment caused by his cancellation of the PNG visit, his national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Wednesday.

☆ Biden's Papua New Guinea no-show deals blow to US credibility in Pacific - analysts
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"For Papua New Guinea this was a very big deal and they will be disappointed," said Mihai Sora, a Pacific islands analyst with the Lowy Institute think tank in Sydney. The cancellation was also a "blow to U.S. credibility in the region as a consistent partner", he added. "Up until now Pacific islands leaders have been giving the U.S. the benefit of the doubt over its ability to re-engage." Biden had also been scheduled to meet 18 Pacific island leaders in the three-hour visit to the PNG capital Port Moresby. The Pacific islands span 40 million square km of ocean, where vital sea lanes and submarine cables link the United States to its allies Australia and Japan.

☆ Biden to become first sitting US president to travel to Papua New Guinea
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Betsy Klein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —President Joe Biden will travel to Papua New Guinea during a trip to the Indo-Pacific region this month, the White House announced Tuesday, marking the first visit of a sitting US president to the Pacific country. The visit will take place between stops in Japan and Australia, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who called the partnership between the US and Pacific Island countries “critical.”Jean-Pierre touted “deep historical and people-to-people ties” between the US and Pacific Island countries. Biden will meet with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape and other Pacific Island Forum leaders, Jean-Pierre said. The Biden administration has worked to deepen its engagement with Pacific Island nations, including the announcements of new embassies in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Vanuatu. Biden is set to attend the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, May 19-21, and will later attend the Quad Leaders’ Summit in Sydney, Australia, on May 24, where he will be joined by heads of state from Australia, Japan and India.

☆ Biden, India's Modi to meet Pacific island leaders, Papua New Guinea PM says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] U.S. President Joe Biden, left, and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks during the G20 leaders summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022. Dita Alangkara/Pool via REUTERSSYDNEY, April 30 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden and his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, will join Pacific Islands leaders next month for a "historic" future-oriented meeting, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said on Sunday. "This is a historic first and at the same time a 'going forward' futuristic meeting of global superpowers, in the biggest country in the Pacific," Marape said in a statement. Papua New Guinea is being courted by China and by the U.S. and its allies, as Marape seeks to boost foreign investment. Papua New Guinea is negotiating security pacts with the United States and Australia, and Marape has been invited to visit Beijing this year.

☆ Australian university professor taken hostage in highlands of Papua New Guinea, prime minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

An Australian university professor has been taken hostage in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, Papua New Guinea's prime minister has confirmed. The Australian man is an archaeologist who works for an Australian university and was accompanied on a field trip by several Papua New Guinean students from a local university who were also taken hostage, two sources with knowledge of the incident told Reuters. Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape told local reporters on Monday that police and the military were on stand-by, and the government was working with missionaries who were acting as mediators. "There is no place to run, there is no place to hide," Marape added. A source in Papua New Guinea told Reuters on Monday morning the situation was in "a crucial moment" and they could not comment further.

☆ Factbox: What is APEC and which leaders are attending Bangkok summit?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/5] A general view outside of the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center venue during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, at Asoke Junction, in Bangkok, Thailand November 17, 2022. The United States will be the APEC host in 2023. CHINA PRESIDENT XI JINPINGXi met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Bangkok on Thursday for talks. RUSSIA FIRST DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ANDREI BELOUSOVBelousov will represent President Valadmir Putin at APEC. PAPUA NEW GUINEA PRIME MINISTER JAMES MARAPEMarape will hold meetings with U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken.

☆ Factbox: World leaders to attend Queen Elizabeth's funeral
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Canadian Prime minister Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau attend the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Abbey. Jack Hill/Pool via REUTERSRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterLONDON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Queen Elizabeth's state funeral will take place in London on Monday and a host of world leaders, royalty and other dignitaries will attend. Countries that have not been invited include Syria and Venezuela because London does not have normal diplomatic relations with those states. Britain has also not invited representatives from Russia, Belarus or Myanmar after it imposed economic sanctions on those countries. Related ContentFactbox: Plans for Queen Elizabeth's state funeral on MondayFactbox: Comments from crowds in London on Queen ElizabethFactbox: World leaders to attend Queen Elizabeth's funeralFactbox: Order of service for Queen Elizabeth's state funeralWindsor Castle, Queen Elizabeth's home and now final resting placeWestminster Abbey - traditional church for royals in life and death(This story was refiled to correct spelling of first name of Belize governor general)Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterCompiled by Farouq Suleiman and Kate Holton Editing by Deepa Babington and Frances KerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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