Leaders missing and China ‘furious’: the Pacific Islands forum off to a decidedly shaky start

The annual Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting is underway in Palau, and already there has been controversy.

First, it’s a leaders meeting with a distinct lack of leaders.

Second, China is reportedly furious that Taiwan is represented at the meeting in its own right.

The fact the leaders of five of the forum’s 18 members are absent – Kiribati, Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa and Solomon Islands – has raised questions about China’s role in their withdrawal.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the collective absence was “highly suspicious” but did not make any direct accusation.

It has come at a time when there are many pressing issues facing Pacific Islands nations, which the forum is ideally placed to tackle.

The forum’s importance The leaders meeting is central to Pacific diplomatic architecture.

It’s the preeminent regional diplomatic institution providing a platform to voice a Pacific agenda.

On occasion, Australian prime ministers have been criticised for non-attendance , and the excuse has usually been domestic politics.

This is clearly the case for several Pacific Island countries this year.

For example, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale returned home to respond to a no confidence motion .

It is a reminder that all foreign policy is driven by domestic considerations.

Nonetheless, non-attendance is regionally significant.

It has been suggested some of the missing leaders may have been influenced by China.