U.S. Supports Taiwan’s Pacific Islands Forum Attendance
On August 11, the United States expressed its disappointment over the Solomon Islands’ decision not to invite Taiwan and other “dialogue and development partners” to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting next month.
“We support the continued attendance of all PIF partners, including Taiwan, at the annual PIF Leaders Meeting, as previously agreed by PIF leaders in 1992,” a State Department spokesperson said. As a founding PIF Dialogue Partner, the U.S. “remains committed to engagement with the Pacific Islands and deepening partnerships with the PIF to support a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”
Background: Taiwan has been a PIF partner since 1993 and has made significant contributions to the bloc, but of the 18 PIF members, only the Marshall Islands, Palau, and Tuvalu still maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Since last year, media reports have suggested that the Solomon Islands, which broke off diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China in 2019, would seek to exclude Taiwan from the 2025 PIF due to Chinese pressure.
Earlier this month, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said only the 18 PIF members, including Australia and New Zealand, were set to attend the 54th Leaders Meeting on September 25 in Honiara, while donor countries such as Taiwan, the U.S., and China would not be invited.
Other Responses: A New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said that New Zealand supports “a continuation of the long-standing approach” of allowing global partners to attend the PIF and discuss regional priorities.
In Taipei, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had called on the PIF to “maintain its existing arrangements” and allow Taiwan’s participation in the upcoming event as a “development partner.”
Source:
[1] Focus Taiwan
Taiwan Foreign Minister Confirms Japan Trip
On August 14, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung confirmed that he had visited Japan last month, adding that China’s “backlash” over the trip will not affect the cordial relations between Taiwan and Japan.
Rare Public Acknowledgment: It was the first time Lin had publicly acknowledged the reported trip. While this was not the first visit to Japan by a Taiwanese top diplomat, such trips are rarely disclosed due to the absence of official diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Asked by reporters in Taipei about the visit, Lin said Taiwan is “making friends with countries around the world.” “Given Taiwan and Japan’s cordial relations, it is only natural that while in Japan, I visited Expo 2025 Osaka and met with Japanese friends.”
Japanese Lawmaker Disclosure: The visit was first made public on July 25 in a Facebook post by veteran Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya, a longtime supporter of Taiwan. Furuya, a member of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said he had met with Lin and shared a group photo with Lin and Taiwan’s representative to Japan, Lee Yi-yang.
Chinese Reaction: China, which falsely claims Taiwan as part of its territory, reacted strongly to the trip, postponing a Japan-China agricultural ministers’ meeting that had been scheduled for August 11 in Tokyo. Beijing also lodged a protest with Tokyo, accusing Japan of “providing a stage for anti-China separatist activities” and “sending the wrong message.”
Regarding China’s response, Lin said he did not expect it to impact Taiwan-Japan ties.
