CHINA DAY SHINES BRIGHT AT SIR HUBERT MURRAY STADIUM: PM MARAPE, GOVERNOR PARKOP HONOUR 50-YEAR CHINA-PNG FRIENDSHIP

By Steven Kenda | PNG SUN|

As the Asian story continues, the China Day was celebrated on Sunday at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium in Port Moresby. 

The event was hosted by NCD Governor Powes Parkop. 

It showed the strong relationship between Papua New Guinea and the Republic of China. The event was aimed at celebrating PNG-China relationship and China's contribution towards PNG's 50-year political journey.

This celebration also helped build excitement and momentum for PNG's 50th Independence Anniversary on September 16, 2025.

China Day on Sunday (June 15th, 2025) was full of colour, fun, and excitement with signature Dragon Dance and others.

 The Chinese Community shared their rich culture, delicious food, and amazing performances.

 There were fun activities like raffle draws, tug of war, and Chinese drumming lessons. 

This weekend will be the Indian Day, celebrating PNG-India relationship while enhanching India's contribution towards PNG's 50-year journey.

Governor Parkop told the crowd that it was an important day. 

He said PNG and China have been friends for a long time. China was one of the first countries to build relations with PNG in 1974–1975.

He said it has been a journey between two countries and two peoples.

He added that China has supported PNG for many years. Their relationship started even before official ties were made. 

Governor Parkop said history shows Chinese people came to PNG in the 13th and 14th centuries. Later, during colonial times, the Japanese brought more Chinese people to PNG.

Governor Parkop highlighted areas where China helped PNG:

■Education

■Health

■Roads and buildings

■Business and trade

He continued these are important partnerships. 

"That’s why China is a big part of PNG’s 50th anniversary," Governor Parkop who also said PNG should plan for the next 50 years by working with China and other Pacific and Asian countries.

Prime Minister James Marape also spoke at the event.

PM Marape praised Governor Parkop for always supporting Asia-Pacific communities in PNG.

He thanked the Chinese communities and China’s Ambassador, Yang Xiagoguang, for attending.

 PM Marape continued the Chinese people have helped shape modern PNG.

Their presence, he said, has been here for over 100 years.

PM Marape said he values the Chinese people and the Chinese government. 

He thanked them for supporting PNG for the last 50 years.

China’s Ambassador, Mr. Yang Xiagoguang, congratulated PNG on its 50th anniversary. 

He thanked PM Marape and Governor Parkop for supporting the Chinese community in PNG.

He said the people-to-people friendship between China and PNG is strong. 

Chinese communities, he said, are the second-largest cultural group in PNG.

Solomon Islands, Vanuatu launch first indigenous-led Ocean Reserve

Vanuatu Daily Post

The governments of Solomon Islands and Vanuatu jointly announced their commitment to create the Melanesian Ocean Reserve— the world’s first Indigenous-led, multi-national ocean reserve at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC).

The initiative marks a historic effort to protect the ancestral waters, cultures, and livelihoods of Melanesia’s Indigenous Peoples, while supporting global marine biodiversity and climate goals.

Once completed, the Reserve will span six million square kilometres — a marine area comparable in scale to the Amazon rainforest. It will include the combined national waters of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and areas adjoining New Caledonia’s protected Exclusive Economic Zone. The region is recognised as one of the world’s richest marine biodiversity hotspots.

“For millennia, the Indigenous Peoples of Melanesia have been the wisest and most effective stewards of these sacred waters. That is why the governments of Melanesia are joining forces to create an unprecedented ocean reserve that honours our identities, livelihoods, and spiritual connections,” said Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele.

Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Ralph Regenvanu, said the initiative delivers on a long-standing goal under Vanuatu’s National Ocean Policy to establish a transboundary corridor of traditionally managed ocean space across Melanesia.

“The Melanesian Ocean Reserve will allow our governments and peoples to do more to protect our ancestral waters from those who extract and exploit without care for our planet,” Regenvanu said. “We hope our Indigenous stewardship of this vast reserve will inspire similar efforts around the world.”

Although Solomon Islands and Vanuatu led the announcement, PNG and New Caledonia have signalled interest in joining, raising the potential for a unified marine conservation zone across the Melanesian region.

As part of the commitment, the two founding governments pledged to dedicate all archipelagic waters and adjacent areas to the Reserve. Only sustainable economic activities aligned with Indigenous cultural values and environmental care will be permitted.

The concept was originally developed by Solomon Islands Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management, and Meteorology, Trevor Mahaga, and Vanuatu’s Minister Regenvanu, following discussions at the 2024 Convention on Biological Diversity in Cali, Colombia. They later collaborated with PNG’s Fisheries Minister Jelta Wong, supported by nonprofit partners Nia Tero and the Islands Knowledge Institute (IKI).

Nia Tero CEO ‘Aulani Wilhelm described the Reserve as a shared vision brought to life: “What these Melanesian leaders are doing is giving voice to the hope of all Oceanic Peoples — to bring forward the dreams and knowledge of our ancestors and to care for the ocean and our planet in the way they deserve.”

The Islands Knowledge Institute, led by Indigenous ecologist Dr Edgar Pollard in Solomon Islands, has been key in building dialogue and cooperation across the region. Dr Pollard said the Reserve’s strength lies in its cultural and ecological foundation: “It reflects an unmistakable truth — that treating the ocean as our home is the best protection. This initiative makes that relationship real, from the tribe to the village to the state.”

The Melanesian Ocean Reserve represents both a bold marine conservation effort and a strong affirmation of Indigenous leadership in global ocean governance — a model that may shape future approaches as environmental challenges intensify.

ezra@dailypost.vu

Solomon Islands, Vanuatu launch first indigenous-led Ocean Reserve

The governments of Solomon Islands and Vanuatu jointly announced their commitment to create the Melanesian Ocean Reserve— the world’s first Indigenous-led, multi-national ocean reserve at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC).

The initiative marks a historic effort to protect the ancestral waters, cultures, and livelihoods of Melanesia’s Indigenous Peoples, while supporting global marine biodiversity and climate goals.

HUGE WIN for Customary Landowners! East New Britain, PNG

WGPNG 🇵🇬🏝️WGPNG 🇵🇬🏝️

✅ The National Court has CANCELLED a massive SABL (Special Agriculture & Business Lease) over 68,000 hectares of customary land in Pomio!

📜 The lease was issued in 2008 without proper landowner consent and failed to meet legal requirements. Now, the court says: “Give the land back to the people!”

🌴 The land will now revert to its customary owners, thanks to a court order by Justice Susan Purdon-Sully and the tireless fight by landowners & legal warriors 💪🏾

👥 Groups like Tavolo Community Conservation Association (TCCA) stood strong to protect the land from illegal logging & misuse 🌿

⚖️ The ruling exposes massive abuse in SABLs and sets a powerful legal precedent: customary land is not for sale!

🛑 12,500+ SABLs are still in question across PNG — the fight is not over.

📣 SHARE if you support land rights & accountability!

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hashtag#LandBack hashtag#JusticeForCustomaryLand hashtag#PNG hashtag#SABLCancelled hashtag#CustomaryLandRights ✊🏾

𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝’𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬-𝐋𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞

Nice, June 12, 2025 - At the UN Ocean Conference, the governments of Solomon Islands and Vanuatu announced their intention to create the Melanesian Ocean Reserve to safeguard the ancestral waters, homelands, and people of the southwestern Pacific. The area is one of the world’s most biodiverse marine regions. Protecting it will secure the economic and cultural vitality of hundreds of distinct Indigenous Peoples while furthering global climate, biodiversity, and ocean goals.

The Melanesian Ocean Reserve will be the first Indigenous-led multi-national ocean reserve on Earth. When complete, it will span at least 6 million square kilometers of ocean and islands— an area as vast as the Amazon rainforest. It will encompass the combined national waters of the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea, and connect with the protected waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone of New Caledonia.

“For millennia, the Indigenous Peoples of Melanesia have been the wisest and most effective stewards of these sacred waters. That is why the governments of Melanesia are joining forces to create an unprecedented ocean reserve that honors our identities, livelihoods, and spiritual connections,” said Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele.

“It is an objective of our National Ocean Policy to establish this transboundary corridor of traditionally managed ocean space between our countries, and we are delighted that this is now happening,” said Vanuatu’s Minister for Environment Ralph Regenvanu. “The Melanesian Ocean Reserve will give the governments and peoples of Melanesia the ability to do much more to protect our ancestral waters from those who extract and exploit without concern for our planet and its living beings. We hope our Indigenous stewardship of this vast reserve will create momentum for similar initiatives all over the world.”

Ocean Conference shows more progress than climate COPs, says Regenvanu

 

Vanuatu’s Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Ralph Regenvanu, says the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice has left him more optimistic than previous global climate gatherings (Conference of the Parties/COPs), due to a number of concrete and transformational announcements by world leaders.

“I definitely feel much more positive being at this United Nations Ocean Conference than I ever have at any COP,” he said. “This is because we have seen important commitments—such as French Polynesia announcing the world’s largest marine protected area, and our neighbour, the Solomon Islands, declaring a moratorium on deep-sea mining within their jurisdiction.”

The Minister added that while these pledges are voluntary, the fact that national leaders made them personally inspires confidence they will be upheld. “It feels like these are not just words. These are real commitments that leaders intend to keep,” he said.

Regenvanu also acknowledged the leadership of small island nations, particularly the Presidents of Palau and the Marshall Islands. “They have been champions in environmental protection, climate action, and safeguarding our oceans. These are not only policy statements—they are actions already underway. I believe we are beginning to see a shift in global efforts,” he said.

The Minister reflected on his role in an event marking the formal depositing of instruments of ratification for the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement). “At least 20 countries, including six from the Pacific, deposited their instruments at this conference. This shows legal protections for the ocean are taking shape,” Regenvanu said.

He stressed the need for legal approaches to climate challenges, noting frustration with the slow progress of UN climate negotiations over the past 30 years. “We believe legal measures are necessary because the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process has not delivered enough. Despite the Paris Agreement’s goal to keep temperature rise below 1.5°C and cut global emissions, we are seeing record emission levels and temperatures above that limit,” the Climate Change Minister added.

Regenvanu also criticised the lack of follow-through on climate finance promises. “We keep hearing about climate finance, but it has not materialised as promised,” he added.

Source VDPost

PACIFIC STORY PLATFORM EMPOWERS SME VENDORS

Small business owners and vendors participating in the final day of the Amazing 50th Celebrations - Pacific Story at Sir Hubert Murray Stadium have expressed deep appreciation to NCD Governor Powes Parkop for providing a valuable platform that empowered local and regional SMEs.

Among the many vendors was Daisy Magrick Orelly, a first-time visitor from the Solomon Islands, who showcased her vibrant collection of handmade fans, hats, baskets, and purses. 

“It’s my first time traveling outside my country, and I’m glad to be here. I thank Governor Parkop for organizing this event,” she said, highlighting strong sales and the welcoming atmosphere.

Brenda Kumbia, also from the Solomon Islands and married to a Papua New Guinean, sold out her traditional tapioca 

and cassava dishes. 

“I made good sales, made friends, and had many visitors. This was a great opportunity,” she shared.

Melinda Ton from Kairuku, married to a West Papuan, echoed the praise after selling out her hot dogs. 

“This platform is empowering for SMEs, especially for mothers like us. We need more of these,” she said.

West Papuan vendor Yanti Marteshop also spoke highly of the event. 

“My sales are going well. It’s nice to be part of this big event,” she said, looking forward to participating in future celebrations because she really enjoyed the safe and friendly environment and meeting other West Papuans and friendly Pacific Islanders from other Melanesian countries.

The owner of Lulu’s Arts and Crafts, Lucy K. Areke, earned a good income from selling crafts, bilums, Meri Kolos, drinks, and home-baked cakes during the Asia-Pacific Stories event, she told City Sivarai.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for SMEs with unique products to sell to the people of the Pacific. For me, it has been a thriving opportunity, and I’ve doubled my usual monthly sales,” Areke said.

She added that most of her items sold out for the first time, and she is truly grateful for such an amazing opportunity and the platform that the NCD Governor and his team from NCDC have created for mothers like her.

On the same note, she expressed her appreciation for the coordination team from Amazing Port Moresby, including Melissa Brabar and her team, for consistently involving SME stalls in flagship events across the city.

“It’s not just about making money—it’s about showing other cities that Port Moresby is safe for women and girls to come out at night and sell our products.”

The Pacific Story not only celebrated cultural unity but also opened economic opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs across the region.