Why in the News?

The annual meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) has begun in Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga.

About Pacific Islands Forum (PIF):

	Details
Establishment	1971
Members	18 members: *Australia,* Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, *Fiji,* French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, *New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands*, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
Vision	Promote *peace, harmony, security, social inclusion, and prosperity* in the Pacific region.
Framework	Operates under the Framework for Pacific Regionalism which outlines strategic visions and objectives.
Dialogue Partners	18, including major nations like the USA, China, India, and members of the EU.
Key Focus Areas	Environmental sustainability, economic growth, cultural development, and regional security.
Leadership	Directed by a Secretary-General, with annual meetings among leaders of member countries.

The PIF advocates for global climate action and funds resilience efforts through the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) to support vulnerable Pacific nations.
It enhances cooperation among its 18 small island states, fostering joint decision-making on key regional issues.
The forum strengthens the Pacific’s ability to navigate geopolitical tensions between major powers like the US and China.
PIF promotes sustainable economic development through regional trade and investment initiatives.
It focuses on protecting the Pacific’s ecosystems by addressing challenges like ocean pollution and overfishing.

[2016] With reference to the ‘Trans-Pacific Partnership’, consider the following statements:

1. It is an agreement among all the Pacific Rim countries except China and Russia.

2. It is a strategic alliance for the purpose of maritime security only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(d) Neither 1 nor 2