“There will always be consequences.” That was all Qian Bo, China’s special envoy for Pacific island affairs, would offer on Monday when asked what Beijing planned to do about Taiwan turning up at the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau. “It’s not a threat,” he added, and he did not say what the consequences would be.
Taiwan’s delegation had attended the opening ceremony. Qian told reporters afterward that “this is objected to by all, so this should not have happened,” and called the move “very inappropriate.” China treats Taiwan as part of its own territory, and the dispute has run through the meeting, which is meant to show regional unity, Reuters reported.
Pushback from Canberra and Wellington
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was asked about the envoy’s remarks on Tuesday. “The Pacific Islands Forum determines what happens here, not any other country,” he said, describing the gathering as “primarily a gathering of the Pacific family.” New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, said much the same: the group does not take instructions from outside countries.
Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung had been invited to meetings and side events around the forum. “Taiwan is honoured to serve as a partner in the Pacific, continuing to stand with everyone and work together to make the Pacific more prosperous and peaceful,” he said on Monday.
His status is limited. Taiwan is a development partner, not a dialogue partner. China holds a dialogue seat, along with the United States, the EU, Britain, Canada, India and Japan, among 21 in all.
Who is in the room
Palau, an archipelago of more than 500 islands, is one of only three Pacific states that still recognise Taipei. The others are Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands. Beijing has peeled off the rest over the years.
Several leaders stayed away from the 18-member forum altogether. Those from Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Kiribati sent ministers in their place.
Australia, whose largest trading partner is China, remains wary of Beijing’s growing reach in the region. It has stepped up security and development ties with island nations to head off any permanent Chinese military presence. On Tuesday, New Zealand and the United States said in a joint statement that they would jointly fund a major upgrade of a World War Two port on a Cook Islands atoll.
