| |
|---|
| Constitution |
| Administrative divisions |
Tonga, by a modification of its treaty of friendship with the United Kingdom in July 1970, is responsible for its own external affairs. It maintains cordial relations with most countries and has close relations with its Pacific neighbours and the United Kingdom. In 1998, it recognized the People's Republic of China and broke relations with Taiwan. [1]
List of countries which Tonga maintains diplomatic relations with:
| | ||
|---|---|---|
| # | Country | Date [2] |
| 1 | No date given | |
| 2 | No date given | |
| 3 | No date given [3] | |
| 4 | No date given [4] | |
| 5 | 4 June 1970 [5] | |
| 6 | 4 June 1970 [6] | |
| 7 | July 1970 [7] | |
| 8 | 11 September 1970 [8] | |
| 9 | 3 December 1970 [9] | |
| 10 | 23 December 1970 [10] | |
| 11 | 11 June 1971 [11] | |
| 12 | 16 July 1971 [12] | |
| 13 | 16 August 1971 [13] | |
| 14 | 6 November 1972 [14] | |
| 15 | 21 January 1974 [15] | |
| 16 | 2 October 1975 [16] | |
| 17 | 4 November 1975 [17] | |
| 18 | 26 January 1976 [18] | |
| 19 | 1 November 1976 [19] | |
| 20 | June 1977 [20] | |
| 21 | 2 January 1978 [21] | |
| 22 | 16 March 1978 [22] | |
| 23 | 1 October 1979 [23] | |
| 24 | 16 November 1979 [24] | |
| 25 | 7 July 1980 [25] | |
| 26 | 30 July 1980 [26] | |
| 27 | 1980 [27] | |
| 28 | 1 July 1981 [28] | |
| 29 | 26 November 1981 [29] | |
| 30 | August 1982 [30] | |
| 31 | 9 September 1982 [31] | |
| 32 | 10 January 1984 [32] | |
| 33 | 20 January 1984 [33] | |
| 34 | 5 July 1985 [34] | |
| 35 | 13 September 1985 [34] | |
| 36 | 31 October 1985 [35] | |
| 37 | 30 August 1988 [36] | |
| 38 | 1 August 1989 [37] | |
| 39 | 1 August 1989 [38] | |
| 40 | 1 May 1990 [39] | |
| 41 | Before 1991 [40] | |
| 42 | 6 August 1993 [41] | |
| 43 | 1 December 1993 [42] | |
| 44 | 27 January 1994 [43] | |
| 45 | 30 May 1994 [44] | |
| – | 24 August 1994 [45] | |
| 46 | 16 January 1995 [46] | |
| 47 | 7 December 1995 [47] | |
| 48 | 2 November 1998 [48] | |
| 49 | 1 September 1999 [49] | |
| 50 | 4 April 2001 | |
| 51 | 12 July 2002 | |
| 52 | 15 July 2002 [50] | |
| 53 | 26 November 2002 | |
| 54 | 22 May 2003 | |
| 55 | 3 May 2007 | |
| 56 | 9 May 2007 [51] | |
| 57 | 13 July 2007 | |
| 58 | 19 September 2007 [52] | |
| 59 | 14 December 2007 | |
| 60 | 26 September 2008 | |
| 61 | 26 November 2008 | |
| 62 | 22 June 2009 [53] | |
| 63 | 23 September 2011 | |
| 64 | 21 December 2011 [54] | |
| 65 | 22 February 2013 [55] | |
| – | 18 November 2014 [56] | |
| 66 | 18 February 2015 | |
| 67 | 12 March 2015 | |
| 68 | 17 March 2015 | |
| 69 | 29 August 2016 [57] | |
| 70 | 28 October 2020 | |
| 71 | 14 December 2020 | |
| 72 | 27 July 2021 [58] | |
| 73 | 2 September 2021 | |
| 74 | 19 September 2022 | |
| 75 | 21 September 2022 [59] | |
| 76 | 7 December 2022 | |
| 77 | 9 February 2023 | |
| 78 | 10 February 2023 | |
| 79 | 22 March 2023 | |
| 80 | 10 April 2023 | |
| 81 | 21 September 2023 [60] | |
| 82 | 16 February 2024 [61] [62] | |
| 83 | 16 February 2024 | |
| 84 | 28 February 2024 | |
| 85 | 29 February 2024 | |
| 86 | 1 March 2024 | |
| 87 | 14 March 2024 | |
| 88 | 14 March 2024 | |
| 89 | 15 April 2024 [63] | |
| — | 17 April 2024 [64] | |
| 90 | 23 September 2024 | |
| 91 | 25 October 2024 [65] | |
| 92 | 25 February 2025 [66] | |
Tonga maintains strong regional ties in the Pacific. It is a full member of the Pacific Islands Forum, the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation, the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. Tonga endorsed the Treaty of Rarotonga (the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty) in 1996. [67]
Tonga is, however, notably not one of the eight signatories of the Nauru Agreement Concerning Cooperation in the Management of Fisheries of Common Interest which collectively controls 25–30% of the world's tuna supply and approximately 60% of the western and central Pacific tuna supply. [68]
Since November 2011, Tonga has been one of the eight founding members of Polynesian Leaders Group, a regional grouping intended to cooperate on a variety of issues including culture and language, education, responses to climate change, and trade and investment. [69] [70] [71]
Tonga was admitted to full membership of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970, upon regaining its independence from British protection.
Since it has always had its own monarch, its position in the Commonwealth was rather unusual.
Tonga is an independent native Commonwealth monarchy like Brunei, Lesotho, Malaysia, and Swaziland.
Tonga was admitted to the United Nations in 1999.
Additionally outside the region, Tonga is a member or participant of the ACP, Asian Development Bank, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the G-77, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation, International Hydrographic Organization, the IMF, the International Maritime Organization, Interpol, the International Olympic Committee, the ITU, the NAM, the UPU, the World Meteorological Organization and the World Trade Organization.
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 June 1970 | See Australia–Tonga relations
| |
| 21 December 2011 |
| |
| 11 June 1971 | ||
| 2 November 1998 | See China–Tonga relations The Kingdom of Tonga and the People's Republic of China (PRC) established official diplomatic relations in 1998. The two countries maintain cordial diplomatic, economic and military relations.
| |
| See Fiji–Tonga relations These neighbouring countries in the South Pacific have a history of bilateral relations going back several centuries. Fiji's Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama received "cheers and thunderous applause" from the Tongan public when he attended a Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Tonga in October 2007; the crowd's "enthusiastic reception" of Fiji's leader was likened to "that accorded to a rock star". [76] Radio Australia noted that he had been "the star of this year's meeting, for the people of Tonga", [77] while TVNZ reported that he had been "given a hero's welcome". [78] In terms of inter-governmental relations, Tonga has generally avoided pressuring Fiji's "interim government" into holding democratic elections. However, Tongan Prime Minister Dr. Feleti Sevele has urged Bainimarama "to produce a credible roadmap to the election according to the Constitution and law of Fiji". [79] | ||
| 1 May 1976 |
| |
| 1984 | ||
| 23 December 1970 | See India–Tonga relations
| |
| July 1970 |
| |
| 28 October 2020 |
| |
| 6 September 2008 | ||
| 4 June 1970 | See New Zealand–Tonga relations | |
| 14 October 1975 | See Russia–Tonga relations The Kingdom of Tonga and the Soviet Union established formal diplomatic relations in 1976. Tonga was the first Pacific Island country to establish relations with the USSR. The USSR was dissolved in 1991 and was succeeded by Russia as the successor state. On 2 October 2005, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Tonga ST T. Tupou exchanged telegrams offering congratulations on the occasion of 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two nations. In his heads of foreign ministries of Russia and Tonga expressed confidence in further development of Russian-Tongan relations in the interests of the peoples of both countries and strengthen peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region. [90]
| |
| See Samoa–Tonga relations Both nations are Pacific Islands countries and members of the Commonwealth of Nations and Pacific Islands Forum.
| ||
| 11 September 1970 | The Kingdom of Tonga and the Republic of Korea have established diplomatic relations on September 11, 1970.
| |
| 16 November 1979 |
| |
| 26 January 1976 [92] | See Tonga–Turkey relations
| |
| 4 June 1970 | See Tonga–United Kingdom relations Tonga established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 4 June 1970. [6]
The UK governed Tonga from 1900 until 1970, when Tonga achieved full independence. Both countries share common membership of the Commonwealth, the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the World Trade Organization. Bilaterally the two countries have an Investment Agreement. [95] | |
| 4 October 1972 | See Tonga–United States relations The United States and Tonga enjoy close cooperation on a range of international issues. Officers of the American Embassy in Suva, Fiji, are concurrently accredited to Tonga and make periodic visits since the United States has no permanent consular or diplomatic offices in Tonga. Although plans for a US consulate in Tonga were announced in 2008, [96] [97] it has yet to be established. [98] In May 2023, the United States announced plans to establish an embassy in Tonga, as part of a larger regional push to strengthen ties with the Pacific. [99] Peace Corps Volunteers teach and provide technical assistance to Tongans. A large number of Tongans reside in the United States, particularly in Utah, California and Hawaii. [100]
|
Tonga has been a member of the Commonwealth of Nations since 4 June 1970.
Tonga was a British protected monarchy from 1900 to 1970, when it became an independent native monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations, a status shared by Brunei, Lesotho, Malaysia, and Eswatini, which also have their own native monarchs.
Tonga's foreign policy as of January 2009 has been described by Matangi Tonga as "Look East" – namely, as establishing closer diplomatic and economic relations with Asia (which actually lies to the north-west of the Pacific kingdom). Tonga retains cordial relations with the United States. Although it remains on good terms with the United Kingdom, the two countries do not maintain particularly close relations, and the United Kingdom closed its High Commission in Tonga in 2006. Tonga's relations with Oceania's regional powers, Australia and New Zealand, are very good.
In 1972, Tonga laid claim to, and invaded, the tide-washed, isolated Minerva Reefs, some 480 kilometres southwest of Nuku'olofa, to thwart efforts by a private group, Ocean Life Research Foundation, to establish an independent Republic of Minerva (now the Principality of Minerva) on the reefs and surrounding quays. In November 2005, Fiji laid a complaint with the International Seabed Authority claiming ownership of the reefs. [102]
Tonga has been a member of the Commonwealth of Nations on 4 June 1970 the same date that the United Kingdom... established formal diplomatic relations...
Op 4 november 1975 vond te Nuku'alofa de feestelijke herdenking plaats van het honderdjarig bestaan van de Grondwet van... In de verslagperiode werd besloten tot de vestiging van diplomatieke betrekkingen op Ambassadeursniveau...
Pakistan ( High Commission, Canberra )