Pacific Nations Fail to Agree on Statement Condemning China Missile Test

Pacific diplomats meeting in Fiji could not reach a consensus on a joint statement condemning China's recent test of a nuclear-capable missile in the region. New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters criticized the outcome, accusing some member states of appeasing "outsiders" instead of prioritizing regional interests.

“

They didn’t actually lay out any reasons apart from their disagreement.

The Pacific Islands Forum, comprising 18 member nations, has yet to issue a formal response to the missile test conducted last month. China had provided short notice to only a few nations before firing an intercontinental ballistic missile, demonstrating its military capabilities in a region where it seeks to expand its influence. The missile reportedly landed in the ocean between the Solomon Islands, Nauru, and Tuvalu.

While several Pacific leaders condemned the test, the forum's inability to agree on a joint statement highlights internal divisions. Peters indicated that two member states blocked the statement, understood to be China-friendly nations Kiribati and Nauru, who reportedly showed little interest in criticizing a major partner. He stated these nations did not provide clear reasons for their disagreement, implying they were prioritizing external partners' wishes.

“

We made it very clear that we do not think that outsiders should be telling the insiders, that’s us who have been here for thousands of years, what our position should be.

Tuvalu, a diplomatic ally of Taiwan, had also called for a joint statement, reporting it did not receive advance notice of the test. Pasuna Tuaga, Tuvalu's Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Labour and Trade, emphasized the need for a strong collective statement from the Pacific to strengthen their position and avoid intimidation by any power. Tuaga noted the missile landed "somewhere very close" to Tuvalu and that the nation had requested assistance from various powers, including the United States and China, in locating the dummy warhead.

“

We don’t want to be intimidated by any powers.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed hope that China would heed the "very clear response" already conveyed by the Pacific regarding the test, noting that a majority of the Pacific Islands Forum members had expressed concerns. This meeting in Suva precedes a full leaders' summit scheduled for September in Palau.

“

That’s not the way that we want to be treated.