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

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
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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.