China, climate crisis and Cop31: five takeaways from the Pacific Islands Forum

"Solomon Islands is China's biggest security ally in the region and prime minister Jeremiah Manele's decision to block all external partners from attending this year's summit fuelled speculation that the move was aimed at keeping Taiwan out of the meeting. For more than 30 years, Taiwan has been deemed a development partner to the Pacific forum, so its exclusion along with China and the US became one of the key talking points of the forum."

"Beijing, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has been pushing Pacific leaders to strip Taiwan of its status as a partner. Last year drama erupted when the summit's communique was altered, after the Chinese envoy demanded its language about Taiwan be scrapped. But this year, the apparent push from China failed. After what the official communique described as a robust exchange on the topic, leaders agreed to new rules that would ensure the presence of partners like Taiwan at future summits."

"Leaders signed the landmark Pacific Resilience Facility treaty that sets up the first Pacific-led climate fund to ensure the region can prepare for natural disasters and the effects of climate change. A decade in the making, the treaty aims address the too little, too slow, too complicated challenges of accessing global climate financing for Pacific communities, according to the forum. It will support small scale community projects."

Solomon Islands blocked all external partners from attending the summit, fueling speculation the move aimed to keep Taiwan out. Taiwan had been a development partner to the Pacific forum for more than 30 years, and its exclusion alongside China and the US became a major talking point. Beijing pushed Pacific leaders to strip Taiwan of partner status, and last year the summit communique was altered after a Chinese envoy demanded references to Taiwan be scrapped. This year leaders resisted that pressure, conducting a robust exchange and agreeing new rules to guarantee partner presence, including Taiwan, at future summits. Leaders also signed the Pacific Resilience Facility, a Pacific-led climate fund supporting small community projects. Australia contributed US$100 million but faced criticism over its emissions and planned gas expansion, which Vanuatu signaled could breach an international court ruling and strain relations.

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