Pacific Islands Forum Stands Firm, Keeps Taiwan as Development Partner

By: L.N. Reklai

Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) have agreed to keep Taiwan as a development partner, a decision seen as a significant moment for Pacific diplomacy. The move, made during the Forum’s 54th Leaders Meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands, comes despite heavy pressure from China, which had pushed hard for Taiwan’s removal.

The Forum, made up of 18 Pacific countries and territories, first allowed Taiwan this role back in 1992. At this year’s meeting, leaders confirmed they would stick with that decision. This means Taiwan can continue working with Forum countries on development projects and remain involved in regional activities.

China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province, has long tried to isolate it on the world stage. In the 2025 Forum in Tonga, Beijing urged members to cut Taiwan out of the Forum’s agreements. But Forum leaders firmly rejected those calls, saying they would keep the 1992 decision in place.

The issue caused tension even before this year’s meeting began. The Solomon Islands government, which hosts this year’s summit, initially suggested Taiwan would not be invited. That sparked backlash from other Pacific countries, some even threatening to boycott. In the end, the Solomon Islands rescinded invitations to all non-members—including China, the U.S., and Japan—highlighting just how sensitive the matter had become.

Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa explained the outcome clearly: “Based on the Leaders’ decision, including the retreat as well, there’s nothing changed. The 1992 decision is still there.” Leaders reportedly struggled over wording, but many argued it would be “impossible” to expel Taiwan while it maintains ties with Forum members like Palau, Tuvalu, and the Marshall Islands.

The decision pushes back against China’s growing influence in the Pacific. In recent years, Beijing has convinced Solomon Islands and Kiribati to switch recognition from Taiwan to China, often using promises of aid and infrastructure. But Forum leaders showed they were not ready to give up their independence in choosing partners.

For Taiwan, the outcome secures its diplomatic presence in the region, which is becoming increasingly important in global politics. For the Forum, it also shows the strength of Pacific unity. Leaders stressed that partnerships should serve the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, a long-term plan to secure the region’s future.

The next Forum meeting will be hosted in Palau in 2026, with Taiwan still on the table as a development partner. For now, the Pacific has made it clear: it will decide its own partnerships, even when faced with intense outside pressure.