Pacific Security Meets Geopolitics: The 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting will convene in Palau (Aug 30–Sep 4) with “Building Economies: Life, Action, Unity,” but the venue is the story—Palau sits in the middle of intensifying China–U.S. competition, and leaders are bracing for a sharper contest across Micronesia, Polynesia, and Melanesia. IMF Watch on Kiribati: The IMF says Kiribati’s growth stayed strong and poverty fell fast, yet warns the outlook is still fragile as fuel costs, external shocks, and climate risks keep pressure on debt distress risk. Digital Connectivity, Faster: NEC says it has completed the 2,250 km East Micronesia Cable System (EMCS), linking Tarawa (Kiribati) to Nauru and onward via Kosrae to Pohnpei—ending reliance on satellite-only links and improving reliability for video calls and digital payments. Cable Vulnerability Risk: A new report highlights how many island nations depend on a small number of undersea cables, leaving them exposed to accidental damage and possible sabotage. Ocean Security & Extraction: A regional security forum also flagged deep-sea mining and new weapons systems as rising pressure points for Pacific control over waters.