Pacific Islands Forum condemns China's unannounced intercontinental ballistic missile test

This year's Pacific Islands Forum Leaders' Summit was held in Palau. Despite Beijing's pressure on the host country, Palau, the Pacific Island countries still condemned China in a joint statement today for testing missiles into the waters of the region.

Agence France-Presse reported that the Pacific Islands Forum summit communique, read out by Palau President Surangel Whipps at a late-night press conference, required that any intercontinental ballistic missile test launches should be notified at least 24 hours in advance.

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This statement was agreed by 17 of the 18 members of the forum, with only Naoero (formerly known as Nauru) dissenting.

In July this year, China tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at short notice to a handful of countries to demonstrate its military strength in the Pacific region. China has long sought to expand its influence in the region.

The missiles landed in international waters near Nauairo and Tuvalu, a diplomatic ally of Taiwan, immediately triggering anger among Pacific nations. These countries still have fresh memories of the nuclear tests carried out by the United States, Britain and France in the region decades ago, and have declared their waters as nuclear-free zones.

The summit communiqué stated that leaders "expressed concern over recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launches, which flew over multiple member states without adequate notification."

The communiqué called on "all countries that conduct intercontinental ballistic missile tests to ensure transparency and eliminate doubts, including providing at least a 24-hour notice before the test launch in accordance with international practice."

Beijing has said the test was a "routine arrangement for its annual military training" and that it had "notified relevant countries in advance."

China is an important provider of infrastructure loans in the region. Nauero has been reluctant to criticize China after he severed ties with Taiwan and established diplomatic ties with China two years ago.

Before the Pacific Island countries issued a joint statement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a press conference in Beijing today that Palau "repeatedly hypes up the situation in an attempt to kidnap the positions of other Pacific Islands Forum member states with sinister intentions. Its plot will not succeed."

Hui Shuren responded: "I think the message sent by the forum is very clear, that is, transparency must be achieved."

The United States conducts ballistic missile tests in the Pacific under a defense agreement with the Marshall Islands. The leaders of Palau and Australia said today that the U.S. test was "very different" from China's test because the United States provided sufficient advance notice.

Palau, the host of this year’s summit, invited its friendly country Taiwan to participate as an aid partner. About a dozen non-Pacific countries, including Taiwan, China, and the United States, participated in related activities held during the forum in different capacities.

Beijing expressed dissatisfaction with Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung's attendance at the opening ceremony. Qian Bo, China's special envoy for Pacific island countries, told reporters on August 31 that there would be "consequences" in this matter.

Taiwan countered by saying that Taiwan's role in the Pacific prevented China from fully controlling the region. Taiwan has three diplomatic allies in the Pacific region. (Compiled by: Yang Zhaoyan) 1150904