Pacific Islands Forum

Pacific islands forum is now taking place in fiji's capital suva until july 14  amid tensions between china and unied states  who attempt to put interest to the region.

Australia and new zealand are the wealthiest forum nations and share a concern over a security pact  signed this year between china and the solomon islands.

But kiribati has reportedly split from the 18-nation body in a major blow to regional unity its withdrawal from the forum is being interpreted as a deepening of china's influence in the region.

Both the solomons and kiribati recently changed their allegiances from taiwan to beijing earlier on monday australian prime minister anthony albanese said  his new government is determined to put the country's relationship with pacific island nations back on track  following china's security pact  signing with the solomon islands earlier this year.