WASHINGTON: Pacific nation Solomon Islands has said it would exclude non-member nations from a key regional summit in September, a group that includes China, Taiwan and the United States.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele said earlier this week he would defer a meeting of the Pacific Island Forum’s non-member “dialogue partners”.
Manele’s decision heads off a brewing diplomatic squabble over the presence of Taiwanese diplomats at this year’s forum in Solomon Islands’ capital Honiara.
There were fears that China – which counts Solomon Islands among its closest partners in the Pacific – would use its muscle to see Taiwan excluded.
Solomon Islands recognised Taiwan until 2019, when it switched allegiance to China.
Taiwan and other dialogue partners have historically been allowed to meet with Pacific nations on the sidelines of the forum, known as PIF.
“We know this issue is all about China and Taiwan,” opposition politician Peter Kenilorea Jr told parliament earlier this week.
