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The president of Palau Tommy Remengesau has expressed faith in the United States' protection of the region amid North Korea's renewed threats to attack Guam.

Guam's governor was assured of his island's safety on Saturday, with United States president Donald Trump giving the territory "1000 percent" backing. North Korea has announced plans to fire missiles into the sea near the island, a US territory and key military base in the Western Pacific.

Earlier, President Trump said the US military was "locked and loaded" to deal with North Korea, should the need arise, as the countries' leaders increased bellicose rhetoric this week.

The Australian Government is providing 19 new patrol boats to Pacific island nations to combat increasing rates of transnational crimes in the region. Australia has also pledged to train law enforcement personnel.

The construction of a multi-million project, the Popua National Park in a swampy area at the Nuku’alofa waterfront continues to be an irritating issue in the Tongan Parliament, and also in the public arena. Despite the rhetoric in Parliament, it all boiled down to “hot-air” when the environmental report of MEIDECC was passed 19-0.

The Popua Park issue became an issue again in Parliament on Thursday, 3 August when the 2015-16 Annual Report of the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communication (MEIDECC) was tabled into the House.