DistantNews
Support us
🇸🇬 Singapore /Elections & Politics

Taiwan to attend Pacific leaders meet: Pacific official

From The Straits Times · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Taiwan has been granted permission to attend the annual Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in Palau in August, overcoming previous objections from China.
  • The Pacific Islands Forum confirmed Taiwan's participation, recognizing it as an important development partner, despite China's territorial claims over the island.
  • The meeting will also discuss a joint statement condemning China's recent missile tests and efforts to invite world leaders to a UN climate change event in Tuvalu.

Taiwan will participate in the annual Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting in Palau this August, a move that circumvents China's objections that previously led to Taipei being barred from the event. The regional bloc confirmed Taiwan's attendance, highlighting its significance as a development partner.

Baron Waqa, the forum’s secretary-general, stated that Taiwan is a "very important development partner" and engages with members of the forum family, though it is not a dialogue partner. Palau, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands, all of which maintain diplomatic ties with Taiwan, are among the 12 remaining diplomatic allies of the self-governed island.

Taiwan is a very important development partner. It is not a dialogue partner, however it engages with members of our forum family.

— Baron WaqaThe Pacific Islands Forum's secretary-general, Baron Waqa, speaking to reporters after a meeting of member states in Fiji.

China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and actively opposes its participation in international organizations and exchanges. Since 2019, Nauru, Kiribati, and the Solomon Islands have switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing. The Solomon Islands, which hosted the 2025 leaders' meeting, had previously blocked Taiwan's attendance, leading to the disinvitation of all external countries.

This year it is an open invitation.

— Rick HouForeign minister in the Solomon Islands government, Rick Hou, commenting on the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum meeting.

This year's meeting, however, features an "open invitation," according to Rick Hou, foreign minister of the Solomon Islands, whose government has recently improved ties with the United States, Japan, and Australia. The forum is also navigating a joint statement condemning China's July intercontinental ballistic missile test in the Pacific. Waqa confirmed that Nauru and Kiribati hold different positions on the statement compared to other members, with discussions focusing on whether the condemnation should be limited to China's test or encompass all missile testing in the Pacific.

Additionally, Pacific Island nations agreed to intensify efforts to invite world leaders to a special UN climate change event in Tuvalu scheduled for October. Tuvalu faces significant risks from rising sea levels.

Everyone wants that statement out.

— Baron WaqaThe Pacific Islands Forum's secretary-general, Baron Waqa, discussing the negotiation of a joint statement condemning China's missile tests.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog