External powers pitting Pacific Islands Forum members against each other, former advisor warns
Photo:
AFP
A former Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) advisor says "tensions" relating to Taiwan's participation in the annual Leaders' Meeting have been an ongoing issue.
The Solomon Islands is hosting the 53rd edition of the gathering in Honiara next month.
Its government's plans to shut out external partners during the Leaders' Meeting have been dominating regional debate this week.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has dispatched official communication to PIF member states, suggesting a move to restrict about two dozen "dialogue partners", including China and the United States, as well as "development" partner Taiwan, from attending.
Solomon Islands PM Jeremiah Manele
Photo:
Pacific Islands Forum
The issuance of a letter to leaders comes amid concerns that the Solomon Islands, as an ally of China, may not allow Taiwan into the country during the event.
Sione Tekiteki, a former PIF governance director, told RNZ Pacific that "this issue illustrates how external partners work the diplomatic channels to pit us against each other".
"The real tragedy lies in the fact that this so-called 'divisive issue' is neither of our making, nor particularly central to our own strategic or developmental priorities," said Tekiteki, who is now a senior lecturer at the School of Law at the Auckland University of Technology.
Sione Tekiteki in Tonga for PIFLM 2024 - his last leader's meeting in his capacity as Director of Governance and Engagement.
Photo:
RNZ Pacific/ Lydia Lewis
He said the only Forum where the region was free from these distractions was in Fiji in 2022, when the country had made the decision not to invite any partners.
"The problem with what is happening now is that this is playing out publicly.
"That said, the PIF has always resolved this issue in the past by going back to the 1992 decision. In other words, sticking with the status quo."
Tekiteki said the PIF Leaders 1992 Communiqué (made in Honiara) remains the key decision regarding the Taiwan issue.
He said it institutes a Taiwan dialogue in the margins of the PIF Leaders' Meeting, but is not considered part of the formal PIF programme.
"There are two sensitivities relating to the 1992 decision. First, it recognises Taiwan under the nomenclature 'Taiwan-Republic of China (ROC)' - a key sensitivity for China since it implies there are two Chinas (and contradicts the one China policy).
"The second relates to the attendance and Taiwan's level of access.
"I do hope that the 'Blue Pacific' calling is strong enough to withstand this issue," he added.
1992 PIF Leaders Communique (extract) on Taiwan relations.
Photo:
Pacific Islands Forum
The Forum Foreign Ministers are meeting in Fiji next week, and this issue is expected to be a key topic of discussion, alongside the outcomes of the final leg of the regional architecture review.
The debate has also drawn comment from PIF members, including the
Marshall Islands
and
Palau
as well as New Zealand, where Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has weighed in on the matter.
Luxon has indicated that Aotearoa would not support an exclusion of Taiwan from the fringes of the PIF Leaders Meeting.
"We are very big supporters of the status quo being maintained. Obviously, ultimately, that is a decision for the hosts and also the members to talk through," Luxon told RNZ.
"It's a chance for the Pacific family to come together, and then for dialogue partners to actually engage through the PIF organisation, which is, as I said yesterday (in PNG), an organisation that's continued to grow and to build capability to be the central body that deals with Pacific issues."
With the issue expected to be a key topic of discussion at the Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting next week, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade told RNZ Pacific the government expects arrangements for the Leaders Meeting to be thrashed out there.
"We won't be commenting on internal discussions between Forum members before then," the MFAT spokesperson added.
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