Pacific Islands Forum Summit Communiqué: Concerned about China’s lack of adequate notification of missile test launches

Summit communiqué: Any missile test should be notified at least 24 hours in advance

The vast majority of Pacific Islands Forum member states agreed on the third day to express "concern" about China's missile launch into the region's waters in early July in a joint communiqué of the leaders' summit without naming China, and called for at least 24 hours' notice of any intercontinental ballistic missile test launch.

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17 member states agree, only Nauero refuses to criticize China

Despite pressure from Beijing, this year's Pacific Islands Forum rotating chairman and summit host, Palau President Hui Shuren, still prompted most of the forum members to express their stance on China's missile test and read out the contents of the communiqué at a press conference late at night on the third night local time. The summit communiqué stated that the leaders of the Pacific Island countries "expressed concern (concern) about the recent intercontinental ballistic missile test launches that were carried out without sufficient notification and flew over multiple (Pacific Islands Forum) member countries" and called on "all countries that conduct intercontinental ballistic missile test launches to ensure transparency and assurance, including at least 24 hours of notice before the test launch in accordance with international practice."

The statement was approved by 17 of the 18 member states of the Pacific Islands Forum, with the only exception being Nauro (formerly known as Nauru). China is a major financier of infrastructure loans to Pacific island countries, and Nauro has been reluctant to criticize Beijing after severing ties with Taiwan and establishing diplomatic ties with China two years ago.

China’s batch of batches has sinister motives, Hui Shuren: We must be transparent

On the third day, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized Palau for "repeated hype" and "sinister intentions." Hui Shuren responded: "I think the message conveyed by the forum is very clear, that is, it must be transparent."

China has long been trying to expand its influence in the Pacific region. On July 6, it test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead into the Pacific Ocean with only a short notice to a few countries. It finally landed in the international waters between Nauero, Tuvalu, which is a diplomatic ally of Taiwan, and the Solomon Islands, causing dissatisfaction among many Pacific island countries. Beijing claims that it is an "annual routine military training" that complies with international law and practice, is not targeted at any specific country or target, and has "notified the relevant countries in advance."

New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon downplayed the absence of President Kiribati from this year's forum and Naaero's opposition to the joint statement, saying that although Naaero cut off, it would not hinder the Pacific island countries from reaching consensus. Although the United States also conducted a ballistic missile test in the Pacific in May under a defense agreement signed with the Marshall Islands, the leaders of Palau and Australia said on the 3rd that the US test was "very different" from China's test in July because the United States was properly informed.