Most Tongan newspapers are weekly newspapers, published in Tongan. Major newspapers include Ke'lea, Taimi, Talaki, etc. Major websites include Mantagi Tonga and Tonga Daily News. Daily News), in addition to some religious newspapers and magazines published from time to time.
There are 6 radio stations and 1 television station in the country, which mainly broadcast in Tongan language, and also broadcast a small amount of English news, sports competitions, film and television dramas and other programs. China Central Television's news channel can be watched on the islands of Tongatapu and Vava'u. Tonga has established diplomatic relations with 48 countries. Australia and New Zealand have high commissions in Tonga, China and Japan have embassies in Tonga, and South Korea, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and France have honorary consuls in Tonga. In 2007, Tonga established diplomatic relations with Malta, Venezuela, the United Arab Emirates and Iceland.
Tonga has an embassy in China; a High Commission in Australia; a High Commission in the United Kingdom and is responsible for the affairs of Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and the European Union; It has a permanent mission to the United Nations in New York, USA, and is responsible for the affairs of the United States, Canada, Cuba, Mexico and other countries; it has consulates general in San Francisco and Oakland; it has an honorary consul office in Hawaii, USA.
Tonga is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth, the Pacific Islands Forum, the Pacific Community of Nations, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organization. Tonga cares about regional security and stability and supports the US-Australia-New Zealand military alliance and the US' leading role in the Pacific region. It actively participates in regional cooperation and advocates the establishment of a South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone, but has not yet signed the South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone Treaty. In July 2007, Tonga became the 151st member of the World Trade Organization.
In October 2007, Tonga hosted the 38th Pacific Islands Forum Summit, the 19th Forum Post-Sessional Dialogue and the 17th South Pacific Tourism Organization Ministerial Council Meeting. In April 2011, Tonga hosted the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's Southwest Pacific Regional Agriculture Ministers' Meeting. In April 2011, Tonga held a Development Partners Forum to strive for donors to increase aid to Tonga. In May of the same year, Tonga hosted the Pacific Islands Forum Trade Ministers' Meeting. In the same month, Tonga held an annual review meeting of the Energy Roadmap Plan, calling on all development partners to actively support Tonga in increasing the use of renewable energy and reducing its dependence on petroleum energy.
Relationships with China
On November 2, 1998, China established diplomatic relations with Tonga. After the establishment of diplomatic relations, the friendly cooperative relations between the two countries in the fields of politics, economy, culture, education, health and military have continued to develop, and senior government officials and delegations from both sides have frequently exchanged visits. On November 23, 1998, China established its embassy in Tonga. On February 15, 1999, China's first ambassador to Tonga submitted his credentials to the King of Tonga. On May 18, 2005, the Tongan Embassy in China officially opened. In August, the first Ambassador to China submitted his credentials to President Hu Jintao.
Relationships with New Zealand
In 1970, Tonga and New Zealand established diplomatic relations, and the two countries have close relations. New Zealand is Tonga's main aid country. It began to provide aid to Tonga in 1976 and has increased year by year since then. New Zealand is Tonga's largest trading partner and import market, with bilateral trade volume in 2009 reaching S$53.31 million. In November 2006, riots broke out in the capital of Tonga. New Zealand and Australia sent troops to help maintain law and order and quell the riots. In April 2007, Tonga participated in the New Zealand Seasonal Work Scheme. In May 2009, Tongan Prime Minister Severe visited New Zealand, and Tonga established a high commission in the new country. In July 2009, the new Prime Minister John Key visited Tonga. In July 2009, July 2010, May and July 2011, the new Foreign Minister McCully visited Tonga several times. In July 2011, King Tupou V of Tonga visited Tonga. In March 2012, the new Governor-General Matt Parry, Deputy Prime Minister English and Maori King Tuheitia went to Tonga to attend the funeral of King Tupou V.
Relationships with Australia
In 1970, Australia established diplomatic relations with Tonga, and the relationship between the two countries is extremely close.
Australia is Tonga's main aid country and began providing aid to Tonga in 1976. In 2010/11, Australia's aid to Tonga was approximately A$27.8 million. Australia is Tonga's most important trading partner, with bilateral trade volume in 2009/10 reaching A$13.19 million. Australia and Tonga set up high commissions in each other's country. In June 2009, Australian Foreign Minister Smith visited Tonga. In March 2011, Australia's Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Pacific island countries' affairs, Mars, visited Tonga. In June of the same year, Australian Senate President Hogg went to Tonga to attend the opening ceremony of the Tongan Parliament. In March 2012, Australian Governor General Bryce went to Tonga to attend the funeral of King Tupou V.
Relationships with the United States
The United States’ assistance to Tonga includes military support and the dispatch of Peace Corps volunteers. In January 2008, Tongan Prime Minister Sewele visited the US military base in Hawaii. In the same month, Tong sent the third batch of 55 officers and soldiers to Iraq to participate in peacekeeping. In February, a US frigate visited Tonga. In November 2010, Mullen, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Tonga. In June 2011, US Assistant Secretary of State Campbell visited Tonga. From June to August 2012, Tonga sent troops to participate in the US-led Rim of the Pacific joint military exercise for the first time. In August 2012, US Assistant Secretary of State Campbell visited Tonga. In May 2013, US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus visited Tonga. In June, the US-led "Pacific Partnership 2013" operation was held in Tonga, and the US warship "Pearl Harbor" visited Tonga. In April 2014, Locklear, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, visited Tonga, met with Tongan Prime Minister Tuivakano, and reached an agreement with Tonga on the establishment of a national partnership between the United States and Tonga in Nevada. At the end of July 2014, the "Pacific Angel" operation led by the United States was held on Vava'u and Ha'apai islands in Tonga to provide humanitarian medical services to the local Tongan people. There are about 40,000 Tongan expatriates living in the United States, and 80% of the overseas remittances come from the United States.
Relations with Japan
In 1970, Japan established diplomatic relations with Tonga, and Japan established an embassy in Tonga. Japan is an important trading partner and aid country to Tonga, and it is the main export market for soup squash and tuna. From 1993 to 2006, Japan provided more than 5 million US dollars in aid to Tonga through the "Civilian Assistance Project" and invested in 179 projects. The Tang Ministry of Health Central Hospital was built with Japanese aid, with an investment of nearly US$10 million. In March 2008, Tongan Prime Minister Sewele visited Japan as the rotating chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum. In May 2009, Prime Minister Severe went to Japan to attend the Fifth Japan-Pacific Island Countries Leaders' Meeting. In January 2011, King Tupou V of Tonga paid a private visit to Japan. In March 2012, Prince Masahito and his wife, members of the Japanese royal family, went to Tonga to attend the funeral of King Tupou V. In May, Tongan Prime Minister Tuivacano went to Japan to attend the 6th Japan and Pacific Island Leaders’ Meeting. After 1973, Japan has sent about 350 volunteers to Tang.
Relationships with the United Kingdom
Tonga maintains traditional relations with the United Kingdom. The British High Commission in Tonga had been established in Tonga for nearly a century. However, due to the adjustment of its overseas institutions, the High Commissioner in Tonga was officially closed on April 1, 2006. The British High Commissioner in New Zealand is responsible for the affairs of Tonga. The Queen of England visited Tonga three times in the last century. In January 2008, King Tupou V of Tonga visited the UK. In March 2010, Princess Anne of the United Kingdom visited Tonga to participate in the 2010 Pacific Future Leaders Dialogue. In October, Commander of the Tongan National Defense Force Uta Atu signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Security Assistance Force during his visit to the UK, confirming that Tonga will dispatch 55 soldiers to Afghanistan in the next two years to assist the British army in its anti-terrorism and peacekeeping missions. In April 2011, King Tupou V of Tonga went to the UK to attend the wedding of Prince William. In March 2012, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, went to Tonga to attend the funeral of King Tupou V. In May, King Tupou VI of Tonga and his wife went to the UK to attend the 60th anniversary celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne.
Relationships with France
In 1855, Tonga and France signed the "France-Tonga Friendship Treaty". France has an honorary consul in Tonga. France provides some military material assistance to Tonga from time to time, and French warships often visit Tonga. In May 2009, the commander of French New Caledonia presented 15 military trucks to the Tonga National Defense Force; in September, the Tonga National Defense Force and the French troops in New Caledonia held a small military exercise.
In March 2011, the French warship La Moqueuse visited Tonga.
Relationship with the EU
The EU has several aid projects in Tonga. The EU once set up an office and a temporary charge d'affaires in Tonga. Since 2002, the affairs of this office have been jointly managed by the office in Fiji. The EU has provided Tonga with 17 million panga aid through the 9th EU aid plan from 2002 to 2007, and will provide 20 million panga aid to Tonga through the 10th EU aid plan from 2008 to 2012. In May 2010, the EU agreed to provide 24 million pangas in free assistance to Tonga, of which 16.5 million pangas were used for budget support and the rest for rural power grid upgrades. In June 2012, Tongan Minister of Labor, Commerce and Industry Pulu went to Vanuatu to attend the 37th ACP-EU Ministerial Council Meeting.