Pacific Islands Forum removes Taiwan references from communique after China’s protest
- In Reports
- 09:59 PM, Aug 31, 2024
- Myind Staff
Recently, the Pacific Islands Forum has revised its Friday communique from the region's annual leaders meeting, removing mentions of Taiwan. This decision follows objections raised by China's envoy.
The bloc, comprising 18 nations, includes three members that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan and 15 that recognise China. China, a significant infrastructure lender to Pacific Island countries, is actively working to expand its security presence in the region.
The communique was taken down from the website on Friday evening following a strong reaction from China. A revised document was then posted on Saturday morning, with references to Taiwan omitted.
The forum's secretariat did not reply to a Reuters request for comment, and Taiwan’s foreign ministry had no immediate response.
Taiwan a development partner to the forum since 1993, sent Tien Chung-kwang, its deputy foreign minister to Tonga, to meet its three Pacific allies, Palau, Tuvalu and Marshall Islands.
China’s special envoy to the Pacific Islands, Qian Bo, expressed strong displeasure on Friday, telling reporters in Tonga that the reference to Taiwan in the communique “must be a mistake,” according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Nikkei. The Chinese embassy’s website indicated that Bo had been lobbying throughout the week for Taiwan’s exclusion from the forum’s official activities.
“Any attempt by the Taiwan authorities to brush up their sense of presence by rubbing shoulders with the forum can only be self-deceptive,” China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press briefing in Beijing on Friday.
Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the Pacific have dwindled in recent years as China has expanded its development funding. Nauru shifted its ties from Taiwan to Beijing in January, while Kiribati and the Solomon Islands, which now host Chinese police, made the switch in 2019.
Image source: AFP
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