SYDNEY — Surangel Whipps Jr. chair of the 18-nation Pacific Islands Forum and president of Palau, said Thursday he hopes member nations will condemn a Chinese ballistic missile test conducted in July. He is seeking inclusion of the issue in a joint statement as the summit concludes today.
Whipps Jr. said a unified Pacific stance is critical to encourage Beijing to respect sovereignty, uphold transparency and act as a responsible regional partner. He said the nations do not want their "backyard" or "homes" to be threatened or disrespected.
China's July test marked its first known ballistic missile launch in the Pacific since September 2024. It occurred hours after Fiji and Australia signed a major defense treaty, establishing Fiji's first such alliance.
Last month, a meeting of Pacific Islands foreign ministers failed to reach agreement on a statement condemning the test, despite individual leaders publicly and privately expressing alarm about regional militarization. China has said its July test was conducted safely.
The forum has been overshadowed by China's objection to Taiwan's attendance. Beijing asserted the island was not qualified to participate. Palau is one of three Pacific Island nations that maintain official diplomatic relations with Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out military force.
Tensions between Beijing and Taipei have been prominent throughout the forum. Several Pacific leaders did not attend in person. The prime ministers of Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa and the Solomon Islands, along with Kiribati's president, sent lower-ranking ministers instead.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said Tuesday he was highly suspicious about potential foreign interference influencing some leaders' absences. Peters did not directly accuse Beijing. China's foreign ministry later dismissed the comments as unfounded.
