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Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 0630 GMT, Sept. 7

Xinhua, September 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

Australia's Treasurer Joe Hockey has warned colleagues that if the opposition blocks the China-Australia free trade agreement, China could walk away from the landmark deal.

Talking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday, Hockey said he had discussed the terms of the free trade agreement with Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei at a G20 meeting between the world's finance ministers in Turkey over the weekend. ( Australia-China-FTA)

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SEOUL -- South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday began working-level Red Cross talks for reunion of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.

An official at Seoul's unification ministry in charge of inter- Korean affairs said by phone that the dialogue was set to kick off at 10 a.m. in the border truce village of Panmunjom. (S.Korea-DPRK- Family Reunion)

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WELLINGTON -- The New Zealand government bowed to growing public pressure on Monday announcing it will take 750 refugees from the conflict in Syria over the next two and a half years.

Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse said 600 of the 750 places would be by way of a special emergency intake above New Zealand's annual refugee quota of 750, and 150 places would be offered within the quota. (NZ-Refugees)

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SYDNEY -- The small islands of the pacific that are most vulnerable to climate change made a rally cry on Monday saying they are the pioneers and trailblazers returning balance to the earth.

Leaders from the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau and Tuvalu are catching up in Port Moresby -- the capital of Papua New Guinea (PNG) -- ahead of the wider 16 nation Pacific Islands Forum leaders summit and retreat which include Australia and New Zealand later in the week. (Australia- Pacific Islands-Climate Change) Endi