Pacific Leaders Reaffirm Taiwan's Status at Forum

After a summit in Tonga, Pacific leaders reissued a communique omitting references to Taiwan following pressure from China, which has long sought to exclude Taiwan from international forums. The original communique had reaffirmed Taiwan's participation in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) based on a 30-year agreement, but Chinese envoy Qian Bo deemed the inclusion a 'mistake' that needed correction. Despite concerns raised by the Solomon Islands, which has developed closer ties with Beijing, the final communique upheld Taiwan's status as a development partner. In addition to the Taiwan issue, Pacific leaders endorsed a new regional policing initiative supported by Australia. The situation underscores the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region as China continues to assert its influence over Pacific nations that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.