Pacific Island foreign ministers are expected to decide on Friday whether to issue a joint statement condemning China’s missile test conducted over the Pacific last month, but growing divisions among member nations could prevent a unified response.
New Zealand has been leading calls for a collective statement following China’s missile launch in July, which raised security concerns across the region. However, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters acknowledged that not all Pacific nations share the same position.
Speaking ahead of talks at the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Suva, Fiji, Peters said discussions would determine whether member states could move beyond their “predetermined” positions and reach a common agreement.
Meanwhile, Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Rick Houenipwela, who chairs the forum, stressed that the Pacific’s priorities should remain driven by the region itself.
He urged members to strengthen regional unity despite growing geopolitical tensions, saying the response to emerging security challenges should promote solidarity, consensus and confidence rather than deepen divisions.
Although New Zealand has actively pushed for a joint statement, Peters declined to reveal which countries were opposing the proposal.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she expected China’s missile launch to be discussed during the meeting but noted that Pacific leaders had already made their concerns clear following the test.
The discussions come less than a year after Pacific leaders adopted the “Ocean of Peace” declaration, pledging to preserve stability across the region despite increasing strategic rivalry among major powers.
Besides regional security, ministers are also expected to discuss energy security, cooperation with external partners, and proposals to strengthen the Pacific Islands Forum’s future institutional framework.
