China’s newly appointed commerce minister, Zhong Shan, has pledged to lift restrictions and expand free trade zones to shore up declining FDI. Timothy Conley reports.    

Samoa’s prime minister, Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Neioti Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, tells Brian Caplen why the country is keen to remain a financial centre, and how it plans to increase flight seats and boost visitor numbers.

Vanuatu’s relaxed approach to life extends to its business environment, with low taxes and a light-touch regulatory regime. Besides plenty of room for expanding tourism, it offers potential investors a youthful workforce and unexploited natural resources, as Brian Caplen reports.

Chinese and Indian tourists are providing a boon for some of the Pacific Islands. However, away from the stronger economies such as Fiji, the familiar problem of not enough top-quality hotels or long-haul flights means that the whole area is not quite reaching its full potential, as Brian Caplen discovers.

Regulations against money laundering and financing terrorism are pushing international banks to derisk by closing lines with money transfer businesses. As many Pacific Islands rely heavily on remittance flows, some are now questioning the benefits of remaining an IFC. Brian Caplen reports.