The Australian government is urging China to respect the decisions made by Pacific nations regarding Taiwan’s participation in regional affairs. This call comes after Chinese officials summoned Pacific ambassadors to express dissatisfaction over Taiwan’s involvement in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the region’s most significant annual summit.
Last month, Pacific leaders reaffirmed that Taiwan could continue to engage with its three remaining diplomatic partners during the PIF leaders meeting. This decision resists Beijing’s push to completely exclude Taiwan from the event. Although China has not publicly criticized this year’s communique, unlike last year’s meeting in Tonga, Australian sources indicate that Beijing remains “very unhappy” with the outcome.
China’s Diplomatic Pressure
Following the PIF meeting, Tang Zhiwen, Deputy Director of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs in China’s foreign ministry, reportedly summoned several Beijing-based ambassadors from Pacific nations. He warned that the inclusion of Taiwan could damage China-Pacific relations. A source familiar with the meeting described Tang’s approach as “very forceful,” though Pacific nations were “not surprised” by the response given Taiwan’s sensitivity for Beijing.
Interestingly, China did not summon diplomats from Australia or New Zealand, both full PIF members, to these discussions. Instead, separate complaints were lodged in Wellington and Canberra. The Chinese Embassy in Canberra has yet to respond to inquiries from the ABC regarding these developments.
Australia and New Zealand’s Unified Stance
Both Australia and New Zealand have expressed increasing frustration over China’s pressure on Pacific nations concerning Taiwan. They argue that such actions risk fracturing PIF unity and diverting attention from crucial development challenges in the region.
New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters criticized the decision by the Solomon Islands to exclude all partners from this year’s PIF meeting, suggesting that “outsiders” were influencing who could be invited. A spokesperson for New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade emphasized that forum communiques are an internal matter for Pacific leaders and that Beijing has no right to intervene.
“New Zealand has been consistent in its position that long-standing Pacific Islands Forum procedures should be upheld, including the 1992 consensus on Taiwan’s participation,” the spokesperson stated.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade echoed these sentiments, urging China to engage with the PIF in a manner that promotes regional unity. “Australia encourages China to engage with the PIF and its members in a manner that promotes regional unity,” a spokesperson said, highlighting the importance of respecting regional institutions and norms.
Expert Analysis on Taiwan’s Role
Jessica Marinaccio, an analyst with experience advising the government of Tuvalu, explained that China’s reaction to the PIF communique was expected. “For China, the sensitivities and long history of the Taiwan issue may supersede considerations of maintaining a positive diplomatic reputation in the Pacific,” she told the ABC.
Marinaccio noted that China’s aggressive diplomacy could backfire, potentially strengthening Taiwan’s position in the region. “If Taiwan is fully rejected from PIF while it still has allies in the Pacific, this could threaten PIF unity,” she said, referencing the 2021 incident when Micronesian countries withdrew from the forum.
“When there is pressure to exclude Taiwan from its usual role at PIF leaders meetings, PIF members have to decide whether they care more about keeping PIF together or tending to their bilateral relations with China,” Marinaccio added.
Looking Ahead
The ongoing tensions between China and the Pacific nations over Taiwan’s involvement in the PIF highlight the delicate balance of power and diplomacy in the region. As Australia and New Zealand continue to support Pacific unity and Taiwan’s participation, the situation underscores the broader geopolitical dynamics at play.
Moving forward, the Pacific Islands Forum will need to navigate these complex relationships carefully, ensuring that regional priorities and unity are maintained amid external pressures. Observers will be watching closely to see how these diplomatic tensions evolve and what impact they may have on the region’s future.
