Pacific Island Leaders Test China’s Influence—Here’s What Happened

One area of contention at the recent Pacific Islands Forum was the inclusion of Taiwan in the annual meeting.

Leaders of Pacific Islands nations pose for the family photo at the Pacific Islands Forum summit in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands, on September 11, 2025. Pacific Islands leaders opened an influential summit in the Solomons on September 10, with nations split over China's growing role in the region and alleged meddling in the meeting. (Photo by BEN STRANG / AFP) Photo by BEN STRANG/AFP via Getty Images

When the leaders of Pacific nations, including Australia and New Zealand, meet at the annual Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), they are traditionally joined by representatives from “development partners,” including the United States, UK, and China, and “dialogue partners,” which include Taiwan.

But last year, all mention of Taiwan was erased from the final communiqué after pressure from Beijing’s special envoy for the Pacific, Qian Bo.