Chinese Embassy Pushes Back on Forum Interference Claims as Taiwan Question Resurfaces
The Chinese Embassy in Tonga has moved quickly to counter claims that Beijing is interfering in the Pacific Islands Forum, warning that speculation about its role risks distorting the purpose of regional cooperation. The intervention comes as the Forum prepares for its Leaders’ Meeting in Solomon Islands and as debates over Taiwan’s place in the regional order resurface.
China’s statement insisted that suggestions it sought to exclude itself from September’s dialogue do not hold up. As a Forum dialogue partner, it said, Beijing has never missed a session since the mechanism was created. It pointed to the recent Third China–Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting as evidence of continuity in its approach, underlining what it calls a “comprehensive strategic partnership” with Pacific Island countries and a readiness to provide development support under the banner of South-South cooperation. The embassy’s message was clear: China wants to be seen as a constant, not a disruptor.
The sharper edges of the statement, however, were directed at the Taiwan issue. Beijing reiterated its long-standing position that Taiwan is part of China and has no right to participate in Forum activities. The embassy argued that the reference to Taiwan in the 1992 Forum communiqué contradicted the one-China principle and should be corrected, pointing out that 11 of the 14 Forum members now recognise Beijing diplomatically. For China, this is not just about a line in an old document but about cementing a regional consensus that matches global trends.
By linking misinformation claims to Taiwan’s status, China is signalling where it sees the real threat to Forum unity. It accused unnamed “countries and forces” of using the Taiwan question to create disturbances, arguing that this undermines the Forum’s ability to concentrate on development priorities and threatens peace and stability. The embassy noted that Taiwan-related content was mistakenly included in last year’s communiqué and later deleted by the Forum Troika, a decision Beijing said it welcomed.
The timing and tone of the embassy’s statement underline Beijing’s sensitivity to how its role in the Pacific is portrayed. With the Forum meeting approaching, China is pushing back against narratives that cast it as an interloper while reinforcing its expectation that the one-China principle will remain the baseline for regional diplomacy. What remains unresolved is how Forum leaders will balance these pressures while keeping the organisation focused on its own core agenda of cooperation and development.
Tu’ifua Vailena
