The Pacific islands bloc yesterday did not overturn a decision to exclude 21 donor countries, including Taiwan, China and the US, from the region’s top political meeting after a lengthy debate, officials said, following Beijing’s pressuring of the host to keep Taiwan out of the meeting.
Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) foreign ministers met in Fiji, holding “robust discussion” over the decision made by Solomon Islands as the host of next month’s leaders meeting, Tongan Minister of Foreign Affairs Crown Prince Tupouto‘a ‘Ulukalala told reporters.
“We will engage more closely with partners in the months to come,” he added.
Photo: AFP
Solomon Islands, which Beijing counts as one of its closest partners in the region, made the decision after pressure from China to block Taiwan’s participation, Pacific officials and politicians said last week.
“It is more important than ever that the region stands together and sets our own agenda — rather than being pressured or even dictated to by external influences,” New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters said in a statement.
Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong (王小龍) wrote on social media that Beijing was not to blame.
“To suggest that we have worked to exclude ourselves for the dialogue in the Solomons this coming September just does not stack up,” he wrote, adding that Taiwan “does not belong” at the meeting.
“To try to put Taiwan on par with partners of the Forum such as China, US, and others is like comparing apples and orange. It is JUST wrong,” he wrote.
Taiwan said it has participated in forum meetings since 1993 as a development partner.
“Taiwan has adhered to the ‘Pacific Way’ spirit of diversity and inclusiveness shared by all PIF member countries in our participation in Pacific affairs,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Earlier yesterday, Peters said “outsiders” were interfering with forum decisions.
“The last [split] we had was of our own making. It was an internal squabble as to who got the chairmanship,” he said. “Now we’ve got outsiders causing the split, and that’s worse. We’ve got to make sure that every outsider comes here with respect for those of us who are inside the organization.”
Peters did not mention China by name, but said he would raise the issue of foreign influence during yesterday’s meeting.
“We’re here for a serious purpose. We’re all around the world trying to get aid assistance for the Pacific, and out of left field comes a statement,” he said. “Yes, you might give us aid, but you can’t come to our meeting as an observer. This is not very helpful.”
Peters said he would not raise the issue directly with the Solomon Islands, but that it should be discussed as a collective.
“But here’s the point. It’s already happened, it’s obvious,” he said. “Outsiders are now telling us who we can have as guests. That’s not the Pacific way.”
Three Pacific island countries hold diplomatic ties with Taiwan and not Beijing.
The US has said it is disappointed by the move and all partners should be able to attend.
Additional reporting by AFP
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