Pacific leaders issue joint rebuke over China missile test

Pacific Island nations jointly rebuked China over a recent missile test that violated their airspace, in a statement released Thursday despite Beijing's pressure on Palau, the host of the regional summit. President Surangel Whipps of Palau addressed the UN General Assembly in September 2023. The Pacific Islands Forum summit communique, read by Whipps, demands at least 24 hours' notice for any intercontinental ballistic missile testing.

The statement, agreed by 17 of 18 forum members, with Naoero (formerly Nauru) dissenting, asserts leaders' concern over China's test in July, which overflew multiple members without proper warning, causing outrage due to past nuclear testing by the US, Britain, and France. The test, China claims as a routine military drill, landed in international waters near Taiwan ally Tuvalu and Naoero.

The summit's communique calls for transparency in such tests, requiring advanced notification of at least 24 hours, according to international norms. Beijing maintains the launch was part of annual military training, while Palau has been hesitant to criticize China, a major infrastructure lender. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun dismissed the Pacific's response as a "malicious hijacking" of other nations' positions.

The US, conducting ballistic missile tests in the Pacific under a defense pact with Palau, said its tests are "different" due to adequate notice. Taiwan's presence at the forum, a non-Pacific country, sparked Chinese annoyance, but Taiwan claims its role prevents China from having "full control". Australia pledged AU$600 million to enhance surveillance for combating drug trafficking, while Papua New Guinea's leader raised concerns about increased US visa fees for Pacific citizens traveling to the US. Secretary-General Baron Waqa emphasized the Pacific's unity in facing challenges.