Taiwan signs pact with Pacific Islands Forum to extend support to 2027

Taipei, Sept. 1 (CNA) Taiwan has signed a cooperation agreement with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Secretariat to continue its ongoing support of the organization from 2025 to 2027, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced on Sunday.

The pact was signed by Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) and a representative from the PIF Secretariat during the annual Taiwan/Republic of China-Forum Countries Dialogue held in Tonga on Aug. 30, MOFA said in a press release.

MOFA did not provide other details on the three-year pact, including how much financial support is involved, saying only that the deal "serves as a concrete demonstration of Taiwan's commitment and support toward the development of the Pacific region."

The Aug. 30 meeting was the 29th edition of the Taiwan/Republic of China-Forum Countries Dialogue organized by the PIF Secretariat.

President Hilda Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and PIF Secretariat Deputy Secretary General - Governance, Desna Solofa, co-hosted the Aug. 30 meeting, which was also attended by representatives from Palau and Tuvalu, two diplomatic allies of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the Pacific, MOFA said.

Tien is currently leading a delegation to visit Tonga to attend the Aug. 30 meeting, which is being held alongside the annual PIF summit which ran from Aug. 26 to 30.

The 18-member PIF, an inter-governmental organization, held its 53rd summit this year in Tonga. Despite being a nonmember, Taiwan has been an active participant at the annual event as a "development partner" since 1993.

Nonmembers including China, the United States, Japan, Canada and the European Union also participate in the annual forum and other PIF events as "dialogue partners."

Over the years Taiwan has supported projects across the Pacific, including in agriculture, education, medical care, public health, ICT, women's empowerment, clean energy, and basic infrastructure, improving the well-being of people in the region, MOFA said.

During this year's summit, the Solomon Islands, a former Taiwan ally that ditched Taipei in favor of Beijing in 2019, proposed preventing Taiwan from attending future FIP events, allegedly under the instructions of China, according to MOFA.

The proposal was later rejected thanks to the support of Taiwan's three allies in the PIF, namely, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau, and two non-allies, Australia and New Zealand, MOFA said.

However, a PIF communique released at the conclusion of the summit that initially mentioned support for Taiwan was later withdrawn and republished with the country's name no longer mentioned, due to pressure from China.

MOFA said that the removal of the line supporting Taiwan in the communique will not affect Taiwan's status in the PIF or its right of future participation.