Great power rivalry threatens to overshadow a summit of some of the world's smallest island nations
- On Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will fly to Koror, Palau, to attend the Pacific Islands Forum despite the eleventh-hour withdrawal of several key regional leaders.
- Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Vanuatu counterpart Jotham Napat, and Samoan leader La'auli Leuatea Schmidt are among notable absentees, as domestic political crises force leaders to skip the summit.
- Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale arrived in Koror this weekend but departed Sunday after Home Affairs Minister Manasseh Maelanga lodged a motion of no confidence against his leadership.
- New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters called the absences "hugely disappointing," while officials privately expressed concerns that external pressures from China may be influencing the sudden pull-outs.
- Palau President Surangel Whipps downplayed the significance of the absences, emphasizing renewed solidarity, though the forum faces questions regarding its regional influence and collective consensus.
65 Articles
65 Articles
Pacific Islands summit opens in shadow of China-Taiwan tensions
Koror, Palau (AFP) Aug 31, 2026 The Pacific Islands' annual summit opened on Monday with a pointed message that outside partners "do not choose our destination", as five leaders skipped the talks shadowed by China-Taiwan tensions. The gathering aims to grapple with challenges such as climate change, drug crime and the Chinese test-firing of a ballistic missile in July that landed in the Pacific Ocean. But at least five
At least five leaders skip Pacific Islands summit
At least five leaders would skip the Pacific Island region’s annual summit, officials said yesterday, hours before the opening of talks overshadowed by Taiwan-China tensions.The gathering aims to grapple with challenges such as climate change, drug crime and the Chinese test-firing of a ballistic mi
Great power rivalry threatens to overshadow a summit of some of the world's least populous island nations
Far from New York or Davos, leaders of some of the world’s least populous states are meeting in a placid tropical archipelago with no traffic lights. The population of the summit host, Palau, was due to swell from 18,000 people to 20,000 as delegates from dozens of countries arrived at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting.
Sydney, Australia, Aug 31 (EFE).- The leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) countries began their annual summit in Palau this Monday, marked by the absence of several heads of government, internal security divisions and the growing struggle of influence between China and the United States [...] The entry The Pacific summit starts marked by absences and divisions over China was first published in HolaNews.
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