Beijing’s Wedge Politics Threatens Pacific Islands Forum Unity Over Taiwan
Udumbara
Increasing pressure from Beijing on the small Pacific Island states to which it provides extensive funding—either as aid or investment in projects that benefit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—has caused visible cracks in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) for the first time.
Members have been forced to take a position on banning Taiwan from attending the organisation’s upcoming leaders’ meeting in September in the Solomon Islands.
It marks a major departure from the Forum’s longstanding and, until now, unanimously upheld policy of being “friends to all, enemies to none.”
Since its founding in 1971, the Forum has brought together 18 members to discuss common issues. The Forum has long invited partners along as observers and limited participants. Currently, there are 21 development partners, including near neighbours like Indonesia and those far removed from the Pacific, like France. And, since 1990, China.
In 1992, Taiwan was granted the lesser rank of dialogue partner and remained so without much incident, although with Beijing’s clear disapproval, until 2024. When its status was mentioned in the Forum Leaders’ meeting final communique, as it had been in the past, Beijing’s reaction was immediate and uncompromising.
The CCP’s special envoy for the Pacific, Qian Bo, told reporters in Nuku'alofa that it was “a surprising mistake made by someone,” and it “must be corrected.”
Its current work plan, titled “2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent” has recognised regional cooperation as important to maximising benefits for Pacific peoples and commits members to resolving disputes through consensus-based decision making “in our own unique Pacific Way.”
This has summed up the way the group has worked over more than half a century, until some Pacific nations began responding to Beijing’s offers of aid and investment, only to find that they come with expectations that the recipient countries will support the CCP’s foreign policy.
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Succumbing to Pressure
Some countries, such as Fiji, have remained adamant that they will adhere to the traditional approach that has bound the 18 nations together for over 50 years. But others have made no secret of their willingness to do Beijing’s bidding.This year, the meeting is being held in the Solomon Islands, which switched its diplomatic recognition to China in 2019 and signed a security pact with Beijing three years later, has been pressuring other members to strip Taiwan of its partner status.
As the host country, it has, in theory, the authority to invite—and disinvite—whoever it likes.
But the Forum has committed itself to acting “in unity and solidarity in its engagement and advocacy with partners” in order to “protect [its] collective interests.”
But up against pressure from Beijing, the Forum’s organisers folded, abandoning stated principle and instead issuing a compromise edict—the PIF will, this year at least, become a members-only club. No one—not China, Taiwan or even the United States—will be allowed to attend.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said the decision would give leaders the opportunity to focus on a review of how the Forum engages with diplomatic partners, via reforms to the organisation’s Partnership and Engagement Mechanism.
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That process was meant to establish a new system of “Tier 1” and “Tier 2” partners and was originally meant to be in place for this year’s meeting in Honiara, but has been delayed.
Manele argued that until that review is complete, it makes sense for all non-members to stay away.
However, countries with diplomatic missions in Solomon Islands, like China and the United States, will still be able to engage on the sidelines, something not possible for Taiwan.
A ‘Regrettable’ Decision, Says Taiwan
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed disappointment at the decision, saying it was “understandable yet regrettable” that the Solomon Islands would reach that decision, while Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr., who has publicly called for Taiwan’s inclusion, called it “a missed opportunity” to engage.Palau, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands are the remaining Pacific countries that have ties with Taiwan—down from six just six years ago—and there are reports that Tuvalu is now considering not attending. Whipps said Palau would go, but he was not happy about the decision.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was concerned, and that his country had “advocated very strongly for the status quo,” while Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement that “Australia supports the participation of all development and dialogue partners in the PIF Leaders’ Meeting.”
Australia, which is a full member, makes a significant contribution to the Forum’s ongoing core funding, amounting to around 36 percent of the Secretariat’s operating budget. In June, it also announced a $20 million support package for the PIF leaders meeting in the Solomon Islands, including funding for vehicles, cybersecurity, and logistics.
New Zealand, also a member, doesn’t provide a single annual contribution to the Forum, but instead channels a significant portion of its foreign development budget to other member states, which amounted to approximately $1.8 billion for the three years ending June 2024.
Whipps said all would be welcome, including China and Taiwan, at the next Pacific Islands Forum, which will be hosted in Palau in 2026.
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