The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) yesterday issued a communique affirming Taiwan’s participation amid rumors of a push by China and the Solomon Islands to exclude the nation from the inter-governmental organization.
“Leaders at the forum reaffirmed the 1992 Leaders decision on relations with Taiwan/Republic of China,” the PIF said.
The statement came following a report in the Australian newspaper on Monday, which said the Solomon Islands would submit a motion at this year’s summit in Tonga to strip Taiwan of its “development partner” status, which it has held since 1993.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Citing an unnamed source, the newspaper said that the Solomon Islands received explicit instructions from Beijing to block Taiwan’s attendance at next year’s summit in Honiara.
Nonmembers China, the US, Japan, Canada and the EU also participate in the annual forum and other PIF events as “dialogue partners.”
Since abandoning its long-held diplomatic recognition of Taipei in 2019, the Solomon Islands has become a staunch regional ally of China, receiving significant development aid and striking a secretive bilateral security pact in 2022.
Based on the PIF’s charter, motions are decided by verbal consensus among the group’s 18 member nations, which include Taiwan’s diplomatic allies Palau, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu.
During the Tonga summit, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he supports Taiwan’s status in the PIF and any decision to exclude parties from regional forums should be made via a consensus.
When asked by the Central News Agency if Washington has plans to support Taiwan in securing its status in the PIF, the US Department of State responded via e-mail that it supports Taiwan’s participation in international organizations.
“Taiwan is a highly capable, engaged, democratic and responsible member of the global community,” a department spokesperson said, adding that countries around the world “stand to benefit from Taiwan’s expertise to address some of today’s most difficult global challenges.”
“We [the US] will continue to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations,” the spokesperson said.
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