Pacific diplomats to debate China missile test in Fiji

The Story in Brief

Foreign ministers from the 18-member Pacific Islands Forum will meet in Suva on Friday, with China’s recent intercontinental ballistic missile test expected to top the agenda. Beijing gave Pacific nations only a few hours’ notice before the nuclear-capable missile launch last month. Several key regional players condemned the test, but the forum has not drafted a formal response.

A cautious statement may call for regional security without naming China or the missile. Kiribati, Nauru and Vanuatu are understood to have little interest in criticising Beijing. The meeting will also discuss rules for the leaders’ meeting in Palau in September, where Taiwan’s diplomatic ties with Palau could add to tensions.

The Indian Opinion

The easy narrative that Pacific states will unite against China ignores their differing interests, while portraying every government as a Beijing proxy is just as simplistic. The forum must balance security concerns with the economic ties that shape its members’ choices. The clearest test of the meeting will be whether its final statement names the missile launch or avoids it altogether.

Source: hindustantimes.com

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