The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), a major political gathering of nations in the region, concluded on Friday, with leaders reaffirming Taiwan’s involvement in its events as a “development partner.”
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement yesterday that it “welcomed” the communique issued by PIF members at the end of the five-day summit in the Solomon Islands, which reaffirmed the forum’s 1992 decision on Taiwan’s role in the annual meeting.
The ministry thanked the PIF leaders “for expressing their support for Taiwan’s continued participation in PIF affairs as a development partner,” the statement said.
Photo: EPA-EFE
At a news conference on Friday, PIF Secretary-General Baron Waqa said that the Pacific island leaders had discussed the issue at the summit and would maintain the “status quo.”
“There’s nothing changed ... the 1992 decision is still in place,” Waqa said.
He declined to provide further details.
Taiwan’s status as a development partner was established by the 1992 PIF leaders’ communique and the country has participated in PIF mechanisms since 1993, the ministry said.
The events include the Taiwan/Republic of China-Forum Countries Dialogue and events usually held alongside the annual summit.
The PIF’s Forum Leaders Meeting from Monday to Friday in Honiara was attended only by the bloc’s 18 member states, including Australia and New Zealand.
Unlike in previous years, partner countries such as Taiwan, China and the US did not participate after the Solomon Islands, as the host nation, barred their attendance, citing an ongoing review of the forum’s partnership arrangements.
However, media reports since last year have suggested that the Solomon Islands, which in 2019 announced its diplomatic recognition of China, has been seeking to block Taiwan’s participation under pressure from Beijing.
China has poached several of Taiwan’s allies in the Pacific as part of its efforts to expand its presence in the region and isolate Taiwan from the international community.
Three PIF members — the Marshall Islands, Palau and Tuvalu — have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
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