Beijing, China – The Chinese government issued a stern warning to the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum, urging him to “avoid harming the sound and stable development” of relations between Beijing and the regional organization. China’s firm stance followed the Secretariat’s confirmation of Taiwan’s planned participation in the annual summit of Pacific Island nations. The summit is scheduled to be held in Palau.
Diplomatic conflict over Taipei’s participation in the Palau summit
This political and diplomatic dispute comes against the backdrop of preparations for the annual Pacific Islands Forum summit in Palau, scheduled for August 30 to September 4. Palau is one of the few remaining countries that maintain formal diplomatic relations and alliances with Taiwan. Meanwhile, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands are also among its allies.
Intense diplomatic pressure and protests led by Beijing—which considers Taiwan an integral part of its territory and strongly opposes any international representation for it—succeeded in excluding Taipei from last year’s (2025) edition of the forum. The forum was hosted by the Solomon Islands. This country is known for its pro-China stance.
However, Baron Waqa, the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum and a native of Nauru, officially confirmed Taiwan’s participation in the upcoming summit in statements reported by Agence France-Presse. At a press conference last week, Waqa defended this participation. He said, “Taiwan is a very important development partner, and although it is not a formal dialogue partner, it has historically interacted with members of our forum family.”
The official Chinese position and warnings about the repercussions of the crisis
In a swift response to these developments, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued an official statement emphasizing the need for regional leaders to adhere to Beijing’s red lines. The ministry stated that China calls on the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum to “strictly respect the one-China principle, properly and prudently handle Taiwan-related issues, and work diligently to avoid harming the sound and stable development of relations between China and the Forum.”
It is worth noting that Beijing categorically opposes any form of diplomatic or international representation for Taiwan in regional and global forums and organizations. Conversely, Chinese diplomacy has succeeded in recent years in cultivating ties with several countries in the region. Specifically, Nauru, Kiribati, and the Solomon Islands—all key members of the organization—withdrew their official recognition of Taiwan. Furthermore, they decided to shift their diplomatic relations to Beijing in 2019. This move reflects the intensity of the international competition for influence in the South Pacific region.
