US Condemns China for Removing Taiwan Mention from Pacific Islands Forum Communique

The US criticized China for demanding the removal of Taiwan references from the Pacific Islands Forum communique, calling it an attempt to limit Taiwan's international presence. This incident underscores the ongoing geopolitical struggle over Taiwan and the challenges faced by smaller nations in the global landscape.

The United States has criticized China for urging the removal of references to Taiwan in the communique of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). The US government accused Beijing of attempting to curb Taiwan's international presence, according to reports from Focus Taiwan on Wednesday.

The PIF, an intergovernmental body consisting of 18 member nations, held its 53rd summit in Tonga last week. Taiwan, though not a formal participant, has been a 'development partner' with the forum since 1993. Initially, Taiwan's status was reaffirmed in the forum's public communique issued Friday, which summarized leaders' agreements after their annual meeting. However, this reference was later omitted.

New Zealand media revealed that during the summit, PIF Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown assured China's Ambassador to the Pacific, Qian Bo, that the mention of Taiwan would be removed. Qian Bo later told journalists that including Taiwan must have been a 'mistake.' The updated communique excluded the mention of Taiwan. A US State Department spokesperson confirmed via email that the US is monitoring reports about the changes and the removal of Taiwan references.

This incident highlights the ongoing geopolitical struggle over Taiwan, originating from the Chinese Civil War. The conflict saw the Communist Party establish the People's Republic of China in 1949, forcing the Nationalist government to retreat to Taiwan. The summit's conclusion, emphasizing regional unity and resistance to great powers' influence, illustrates the challenges smaller nations face in the global geopolitical landscape. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)