Pacific Island foreign ministers meeting in Suva on August 7 failed to agree on a joint statement condemning China's July submarine-launched ballistic missile test; Kiribati and Nauru, both of which switched recognition from Taiwan to China in recent years, blocked consensus; New Zealand's Winston Peters accused the blockers of following 'outside partners' wishes'; the matter is deferred to the Palau leaders' summit, August 30 to September 4

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Fiji's Foreign Affairs Minister Sakiasi Ditoka signed a refreshed Duavata Partnership in Auckland on July 16, setting cooperation priorities for 2026 to 2030 across five pillars and targeting NZ$2 billion in annual two-way trade by 2030

Pacific Islands Forum Trade Ministers have endorsed the Pacific Aid-for-Trade Strategy 2026-2030, committing the region to using trade to drive economic development and climate resilience, Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa announced

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Wellington will formally consider joining the Ocean of Peace Alliance, a mutual-defence treaty Australia and Fiji signed on July 7; the announcement comes as Pacific island states condemned a Chinese ballistic missile test and the PNG-Australia Pukpuk Treaty came into force

Canberra sealed a bilateral defence alliance with Fiji on July 6 and the next day agreed with Solomon Islands to accelerate treaty negotiations; both moves came within 24 hours of China's SLBM test in the South Pacific, which Australia and Solomon Islands both condemned