This year’s Pacific Islands Forum was hosted by the Solomon Islands. (Video screenshot)
[People News] The CCP spent 36 billion yuan to hold a grand military parade, thinking it could elevate its international status and add leverage to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs. However, on September 12, the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) announced that non-member countries would be allowed to participate in the forum as “strategic partners,” while maintaining the 1992 leaders’ resolution concerning Taiwan’s attendance at meetings. For the CCP, which has been trying to suppress Taiwan’s international space, this meeting outcome was like a heavy punch to the face.
According to Taiwan’s Liberty Times, this year’s Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) was hosted by the Solomon Islands. After controversy arose over Beijing’s pressure to exclude an invitation to Taiwan, on September 12 the forum’s member state leaders agreed on a new framework that allows non-member states to participate in the forum as “strategic partners,” while maintaining the 1992 leaders’ resolution concerning Taiwan’s participation. According to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the outcome of this meeting was a major blow to the CCP authorities’ attempt to exclude Taiwan.
CCP Conspiracy Fails, Takes a Heavy Punch
The Pacific Islands Forum, consisting of 18 countries, reached this conclusion after closed-door talks among the leaders. According to Agence France-Presse, the forum communiqué described “vigorous exchanges” on external partnerships, and the leaders agreed on a new framework that allows non-member states to attend future forum meetings as “strategic partners.” Potential strategic partners must apply to attend and meet certain conditions, including being a sovereign state, a political community (such as the EU), or an intergovernmental organization.
According to Radio New Zealand (RNZ), partner countries will be divided into two tiers based on their level of participation. Tier one partners are those with development cooperation or investment in all strategic areas of the forum, while tier two partners are those contributing to specific programs. Next year’s host, Palau, which is a diplomatic ally of Taiwan, has already stated that all countries will be welcome.
ABC News reported under the headline “Pacific Leaders Reaffirm Taiwan’s Right to Participate in Regional Forums,” stating that leaders openly supported Taiwan’s participation. Although the wording was more subtle, it indicated a more comprehensive review of regional partnership arrangements, without affecting Taiwan’s status, and declared in the communiqué the maintenance of the “1992 leaders’ resolution on development partners.”
A Pacific island government official stated that as long as Taiwan maintains its alliances with Pacific nations, it is “impossible” to actually expel it. ABC noted that this outcome was a major blow to the CCP’s efforts to use its growing influence in the Pacific to marginalize Taiwan and exclude it from any regional meetings.
In addition to member countries, the Pacific Islands Forum usually includes dozens of countries as observers or dialogue partners. However, this year, following the controversy over Beijing’s pressure on the Solomon Islands to exclude Taiwan’s invitation, it was further decided not to invite any of the 21 donor countries, including the United States and China. New Zealand and Palau both stated there was “obvious,” “absolute” external interference in the forum summit.
Mihai Sora, director of the Pacific Islands Program at Australia’s Lowy Institute and a former Australian diplomat, told The Guardian that this was essentially a “Plan B,” as the Solomon Islands government initially intended to “isolate Taiwan alone.”
Legislator Reveals How CCP Manipulates Solomon Islands Politics
According to The Australian, the CCP manipulated Solomon Islands politics through its embassy, interfering in cabinet appointments, demanding that legislators not be allowed into the cabinet unless they left their parties and publicly praised Beijing. Prime Minister Manele also excluded Taiwan from the Pacific Islands Forum, a process that fully demonstrated the difficulties and injustices Taiwan faces in international diplomacy.
According to NTD Chinese, on April 18 this year, Peter Kenilorea Jr., chairman of the Solomon Islands Parliament Foreign Relations Committee, said: “Our current government is basically the same group of people before the general election — the same government that invited the CCP in and pushed for switching recognition from Taiwan to the CCP.”
Peter Kenilorea Jr., chairman of the Solomon Islands Parliament Foreign Relations Committee and a member of the opposition, told The Australian that the CCP had already extended its reach into the government and even influenced cabinet appointments. He revealed: “(Prime Minister of Solomon Islands) Manele invited me to his home and told me directly that the Chinese ambassador requested that I not be appointed. This matter is outrageous, but it now seems to have become routine. I had suspected (CCP interference in Solomon Islands cabinet appointments), but hearing it directly from the prime minister still shocked me.”
Manele also told Peter Kenilorea Jr. that if he truly wanted to join the cabinet, he must leave his anti-CCP party, “hold a press conference praising Beijing, and also take a trip to China.” He asked: “For what? For a meeting?” Manele replied: “No, just to stroll around.” Peter Kenilorea Jr. refused. He stated: “I know very well that if I give in, it would be a major victory for the CCP.” △
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