China expressed strong displeasure after Taiwan's foreign minister attended the Pacific Islands Forum held in Palau, warning that consequences should be expected.
Qian Bo, China's special envoy for Pacific island affairs, stated that China opposes Taiwan's presence at the event, viewing it as highly inappropriate and indicating that consequences will surely follow, though he did not specify what measures.
Qian told reporters after the opening ceremony in Palau, a Pacific island nation with official diplomatic ties to Taiwan, that all parties oppose this, so it should not happen. He said such actions are extremely inappropriate.
China's stance was countered by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said that the Pacific Islands Forum is a platform where member countries set the direction themselves, with no other country dictating outcomes.
"The Pacific Islands Forum decides what happens here, not any other country," Albanese said, adding that the meeting is like a Pacific family reunion and he looks forward to participating.
Similarly, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters stated that the Pacific Islands Forum does not take orders from countries outside the group.
Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chialong, invited to attend meetings and side events during the Forum, said Taiwan is honored to serve as a partner in the Pacific region and will continue working with countries to build a prosperous and peaceful Pacific.
Taiwan does not hold the status of official dialogue partner of the Pacific Islands Forum like China, but participates as a development partner, while the U.S., European Union, UK, Canada, India, and Japan are among the 21 countries and organizations with dialogue partner status.
Taiwan has become a key topic at this meeting because China views Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes its diplomatic relations or presence in international forums.
In recent years, China has succeeded in persuading many Pacific island countries to cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, leaving only three in the region that still recognize Taiwan: Palau, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands.
However, leaders of Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Kiribati did not attend the meeting, sending ministers as their representatives instead.
Although Australia counts China as its largest trading partner, Canberra remains concerned about China's expanding influence in the Pacific islands and has increased security and development cooperation with island countries to prevent China from establishing permanent military bases or forces in the region.
Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. have long-standing security relationships with the Pacific region and closely monitor the influence competition between China and Western nations there.
Recently, New Zealand and the U.S. issued a joint statement during the September 1 meeting, announcing joint funding support to upgrade a key World War II-era port on the coral islands of the Cook Islands, signaling strengthened cooperation between the two countries in the Pacific.
. Source:channelnewsasia
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