China Warns Taiwan for Attending Summit09/01 06:23

   

   KOROR, Palau (AP) -- China warned of "consequences" for Taiwan after 
officials from Beijing and Taipei attended a ceremonial event at a Pacific 
leaders summit, where major powers already had been urged to restrain from 
turning a meeting of mostly small island countries into a geopolitical sideshow.

   The 18 member states and territories of the Pacific Islands Forum, which 
opened its annual summit in Palau's largest city Koror on Monday, do not 
include China, the United States or Taiwan. However, battles for influence over 
the lucrative oceans and strategically important locations of the forum's 
members this week threatened, as they have before, to overshadow its summit.

   Some theater was expected at this year's event because the host country, a 
western Pacific island nation next to the Philippines that has close ties to 
the U.S., is among the 11 countries and the Vatican that recognize Taiwan, 
which Beijing says is a part of China.

   Several Pacific leaders didn't attend this year's event. While some absences 
were due to ill health or politics at home and signaled in advance, analysts 
speculated others might be missing due to pressure from Beijing.

   Envoys from China and Taiwan trade barbs

   Ahead of the summit, Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. hosted joint events 
with Taiwan's representative, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, and at the 
opening ceremony placed the envoys from Beijing and Taipei in the same row, 
although they were in separate blocks of seats.

   After the event, China's representative, Pacific Envoy Qian Bo, told 
reporters in Koror that the presence of Taiwanese officials was "very 
inappropriate." Asked if there would be consequences for Taiwan, Qian said 
there would "always be consequences."

   He denied the remarks were a threat and didn't provide further details. 
Beijing has long sought Taipei's exclusion from international summits through 
diplomatic pressure.

   Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun claimed Taiwan is not a 
dialogue partner or development partner of the forum and therefore is in no 
position to participate in the event's activities.

   Lin on Tuesday rejected the suggestion that his participation was 
illegitimate, accusing Beijing of dividing the region and "blaming the 
problems" on others.

   "If we go to a party, we always follow the directions of the host," Lin said 
in Koror. "However, whenever China goes to a party, it makes itself as if it's 
the host and China ruins the whole atmosphere of the party."

   Summit's host urged major powers not to interfere

   China's criticism came at the end of an event where Palau's president urged 
the major powers present at the forum to leave the summit's workings to member 
states.

   "Our partners are welcome to sail with us but they do not choose our 
destination," Whipps said in a speech. "The Pacific agenda must be driven by us 
and for us."

   Powerful nations interested in the Pacific have raced in recent years to 
shore up alliances among its leaders, intensifying a contest for influence 
between China and the U.S., Taiwan and forum members Australia and New Zealand. 
That has led to an explosion in interest in the annual Pacific leaders meeting, 
which has grown from a casual affair to a summit with 2,000 attendees.

   Non-member countries invited to attend are called partners, with China 
holding so-called dialogue partner status and Taiwan registered as a 
development partner. Taiwan's attendance at summits has provoked China's ire 
before, with the issue resulting in partner countries being barred from 
attending last year's meeting in Solomon Islands.

   Divisions are echoed among members

   Ahead of each summit, Pacific leaders often try to focus attention on the 
matters they say are most pressing to them. These include the effects of 
climate change on the region and the struggles related to he COVID-19 pandemic 
and the start of the Iran war that have befallen their national economies, with 
many of them reliant on foreign aid, tourism and increasingly expensive 
imported gasoline.

   However, as conflicting major powers over the past decade have escalated 
their efforts to secure access to Pacific waters and ports by inking security 
deals and offering funding, immigration access to their countries and other 
sweeteners, the leaders' ability to speak with one voice at the annual summit 
has come under pressure.

   In a recent episode, the forum's foreign ministers failed to reach consensus 
on a statement criticizing Beijing's launch of a ballistic missile into the 
South Pacific Ocean in July. While most member states strongly opposed China's 
actions, the refusal of two to endorse a proposed statement meant none was 
issued.

   Some analysts say the absence of certain major politicians from the summit 
could be another example, although those present have downplayed suggestions 
that the representation of some states by senior officials instead of national 
leaders would undermine discussions.