China voiced its opposition to Taiwan joining a meeting of Pacific island nations this week, with Beijing’s envoy threatening unspecified consequences over its presence at the conference.
Palau, a stunning West Pacific archipelago of less than 20,000 people, is one of a dozen remaining nations that maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan. As host of this year’s Pacific Islands Forum, it invited Taiwan’s foreign minister to attend, one of Taipei’s few remaining avenues for international exposure.
“We certainly have serious concerns,” China’s special envoy to the Pacific Qian Bo told reporters in Palau on Monday. “Taiwan is not a dialogue partner for the forum, so we have serious concerns. We have made our position very clear to the government of Palau.”
