Pacific Islands Forum says Taiwan's engagement status remains unchanged

Taipei, Sept. 13 (CNA) The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), a major political gathering of Pacific island nations, concluded Friday with leaders reaffirming Taiwan's continued engagement as a "development partner."

In a statement Saturday, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said it "welcomed" the communiqué issued by PIF members at the end of the five-day summit in the Solomon Islands, which reaffirmed the forum's 1992 decision on Taiwan's role in the annual meeting.

MOFA thanked the PIF leaders "for expressing their support for Taiwan's continued participation in PIF affairs as a development partner," the statement said.

At a news conference on Friday, PIF Secretary General Baron Waqa said the Pacific leaders had discussed the issue at the summit and decided to maintain the status quo.

"There's nothing changed … the 1992 decision is still in place," Waqa said, but he declined to provide any details.

According to MOFA, Taiwan's status as a development partner was established under the 1992 PIF leaders' Communiqué, and the country has participated in PIF mechanisms since 1993. These include the Taiwan/Republic of China-Forum Countries Dialogue and other side events that are usually held alongside the annual summit.

This year's Forum Leaders Meeting, held Sept. 8-12 in Honiara, was attended only by the bloc's 18 member states, including Australia and New Zealand.

Unlike in previous years, partner countries such as China, the United States, and Taiwan did not participate, after the Solomon Islands, as the host nation, barred their attendance, citing an ongoing review of the forum's partnership arrangements.

However, media reports since last year have suggested that the Solomon Islands, which switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 2019, has sought to block Taiwan's participation under pressure from Beijing.

China has poached several of Taiwan's allies in the Pacific, as part of its efforts to expand its presence in the region and isolate Taiwan from the international community.

Currently, only three PIF members -- the Marshall Islands, Palau, and Tuvalu -- have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.