Kiribati Withdraws From Pacific Islands Forum, Further Weakening West’s Bulwark Against Beijing

Kiribatis President Taneti Maamau (C) listens as Chinese leader Xi Jinping speaks during a meeting in Beijing on Jan. 6, 2020. Mark Schiefelbein/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

The surprise withdrawal of Kiribati from the Pacific Islands Forum has dealt a heavy blow to the regional body—the peak intergovernmental organisation in the region.

The move comes amid ongoing dissatisfaction from Micronesian countries in the Forum, a festering issue that has erupted amid Beijing’s ongoing influence in the region.