China warns of ‘consequences’ over Taiwan presence at Pacific Islands Forum | Pacific Islands Forum | The Guardian  (china-warns-of-consequences-taiwan-pacific-islands-forum-palau.html)   (../../../../../assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/manifest.json)  (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon.svg) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-512.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-360.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-240.png) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/icons/homescreen/apple-touch-icon-120.png) (../../../../../static.guim.co.uk/images/favicon-32x32.ico) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/) (https://i.guim.co.uk) (https://j.ophan.co.uk) (https://ophan.theguardian.com) (https://sourcepoint.theguardian.com) (https://assets.guim.co.uk/) (https://i.guim.co.uk) (https://j.ophan.co.uk) (https://ophan.theguardian.com) (https://api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk) (https://hits-secure.theguardian.com) (https://interactive.guim.co.uk) (https://static.theguardian.com) (https://support.theguardian.com) (../../../../../assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/fonts/guardian-headline/noalts-not-hinted/GHGuardianHeadline-Bold.woff2) (../../../../../assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/fonts/guardian-textegyptian/noalts-not-hinted/GuardianTextEgyptian-Regular.woff2)                                 (../../../../../assets.guim.co.uk/static/frontend/css/print.css)  (china-warns-of-consequences-taiwan-pacific-islands-forum-palau.html#maincontent) Skip to main content (china-warns-of-consequences-taiwan-pacific-islands-forum-palau.html#navigation) Skip to navigation (Close [ESC or Q])   Close dialogue  1 / 1   (Next image [→])   Next image  (Previous image [←])   Previous image  (Toggle caption [i])   Toggle caption                         (https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=undefined&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22%22%7D) Print subscriptions   (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters   (https://profile.theguardian.com/signin?INTCMP=DOTCOM_NEWHEADER_SIGNIN&ABCMP=ab-sign-in&componentEventParams=componentType%3Didentityauthentication%26componentId%3Dguardian_signin_header)   Sign in        US  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/us) US edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/uk) UK edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/au) Australia edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/eur) Europe edition  (https://www.theguardian.com/preference/edition/int) International edition      (https://www.theguardian.com/) The Guardian - Back to home             The Guardian    (https://www.theguardian.com/) News  (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Lifestyle    Show more    Hide expanded menu       News (https://www.theguardian.com/) View all News  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-politics) US politics  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-midterm-elections-2026) Midterms 2026  (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World news  (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis) Climate crisis  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) Middle East  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/ukraine) Ukraine  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/usimmigration) US immigration  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/soccer) Soccer  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/business) Business  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/environment) Environment  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/technology) Tech  (https://www.theguardian.com/science) Science  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters  (https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us) The Filter  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/wellness) Wellness      Opinion (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) View all Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial) The Guardian view  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/columnists) Columnists  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/letters) Letters  (https://www.theguardian.com/type/video+tone/comment) Opinion videos  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/cartoons) Cartoons      Sport (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) View all Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/soccer) Soccer  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nfl) NFL  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/tennis) Tennis  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/mlb) MLB  (https://www.theguardian.com/football/mls) MLS  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nba) NBA  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/wnba) WNBA  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/nhl) NHL  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/formulaone) F1  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/golf) Golf      Culture (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) View all Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/film) Film  (https://www.theguardian.com/books) Books  (https://www.theguardian.com/music) Music  (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign) Art & design  (https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio) TV & radio  (https://www.theguardian.com/stage) Stage  (https://www.theguardian.com/music/classicalmusicandopera) Classical  (https://www.theguardian.com/games) Games  (https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/series/design-a-better-world) Design a better world      Lifestyle (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) View all Lifestyle  (https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us) The Filter  (https://www.theguardian.com/us/wellness) Wellness  (https://www.theguardian.com/fashion) Fashion  (https://www.theguardian.com/food) Food  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/recipes) Recipes  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/love-and-sex) Love & sex  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/home-and-garden) Home & garden  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/health-and-wellbeing) Health & fitness  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/family) Family  (https://www.theguardian.com/travel) Travel  (https://www.theguardian.com/money) Money    Search input  (Search the Guardian)  google-search   Search       (www.theguardian.com)      (https://support.theguardian.com?INTCMP=side_menu_support&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22:%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22,%22componentType%22:%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22,%22componentId%22:%22side_menu_support%22%7D) Support us  (https://support.theguardian.com/subscribe/weekly?REFPVID=undefined&INTCMP=undefined&acquisitionData=%7B%22source%22%3A%22GUARDIAN_WEB%22%2C%22componentId%22%3A%22PrintSubscriptionsHeaderLink%22%2C%22componentType%22%3A%22ACQUISITIONS_HEADER%22%2C%22referrerUrl%22%3A%22%22%7D) Print subscriptions  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters) Newsletters  (https://app.adjust.com/1hskf6nd?adgroup=USHeader) Download the app   (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital Archive  (https://licensing.theguardian.com/) Guardian Licensing  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_us_header_dropdown) Live events  (https://www.theguardian.com/about) About Us  (https://app.adjust.com/16xt6hai) The Guardian app  (https://www.theguardian.com/video) Video  (https://www.theguardian.com/podcasts) Podcasts  (https://www.theguardian.com/inpictures) Pictures  (https://www.theguardian.com/insidetheguardian) Inside the Guardian  (https://www.theguardian.com/weekly?INTCMP=gdnwb_mawns_editorial_gweekly_GW_TopNav_US) Guardian Weekly  (https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords) Crosswords  (https://www.wordiply.com) Wordiply  (https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/series/corrections-and-clarifications) Corrections  (https://www.theguardian.com/tips) Tips    Search input  (Search the Guardian)  google-search   Search       (www.theguardian.com)   (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital Archive  (https://licensing.theguardian.com/) Guardian Licensing  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-live-events?INTCMP=live_us_header_dropdown) Live events  (https://www.theguardian.com/about) About Us         (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) Europe  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas) Americas  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia) Asia  (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news) Australia  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) Middle East  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa) Africa  (https://www.theguardian.com/inequality) Inequality  (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) Global development                    (China’s special envoy for Pacific Island affairs, Qian Bo, leaves the opening ceremony at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ meeting in Koror, Palau, on Monday)          China’s special envoy for Pacific Island affairs, Qian Bo, leaves the opening ceremony at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ meeting in Koror, Palau, on Monday.  Photograph: Mick Tsikas/Reuters     (china-warns-of-consequences-taiwan-pacific-islands-forum-palau.html#img-1)   View image in fullscreen       China’s special envoy for Pacific Island affairs, Qian Bo, leaves the opening ceremony at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders’ meeting in Koror, Palau, on Monday.  Photograph: Mick Tsikas/Reuters       (https://www.theguardian.com/world/pacific-islands-forum) Pacific Islands Forum     China warns of ‘consequences’ over Taiwan presence at Pacific Islands Forum   Beijing-Taipei tensions a feature at meeting in Palau, with Australia and New Zealand saying the forum – not another country – will determine who attends         Reuters   Tue 1 Sep 2026 01.34 EDT  Last modified on Tue 1 Sep 2026 01.53 EDT   (mailto:?subject=China warns of ‘consequences’ over Taiwan presence at Pacific Islands Forum&body=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/01/china-warns-of-consequences-taiwan-pacific-islands-forum-palau?CMP=share_btn_url) Share          (https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=theguardian.com) Prefer the Guardian on Google          China ⁠said it had serious concerns ⁠about Taiwan’s presence at ​the annual (https://www.theguardian.com/world/pacific-islands-forum) Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, warning of “consequences” after the democratically ruled island attended the group’s opening ceremony on Monday. China views (https://www.theguardian.com/world/taiwan) Taiwan as its own territory, and China-Taiwan tensions have ⁠featured prominently at the meeting, which is intended to demonstrate regional unity.  “There will always be consequences,” Qian Bo, China’s special envoy for Pacific island affairs, said of Taiwan attending the event. “It’s not a ⁠threat,” he said, without specifying what the consequences would be. “This is objected to by all, so this should not have happened. We ​think it’s very inappropriate to do so,” he ‌told reporters on Monday after an opening ‌ceremony in Palau, an archipelago of more than 500 islands that has maintained diplomatic ties with Taiwan. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/30/pacific-islands-forum-meeting-in-turmoil-after-several-leaders-pull-out-of-palau-summit)  Pacific Islands Forum meeting in turmoil after several leaders pull out of Palau summit      Read more        Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said when asked by reporters about the Chinese envoy’s remarks: “The ‌Pacific Islands Forum determines what happens here, not any other country. “This is primarily a gathering of the Pacific family … and I look forward to the engagement.” New Zealand’s foreign minister, Winston Peters, echoed that sentiment, saying the group did not take instructions from countries outside it. Taiwan’s foreign minister, Lin Chia-lung, said on Monday: “Taiwan is honoured to serve as a partner in the Pacific, continuing to stand with everyone and work together to make the Pacific ‌more prosperous and peaceful.” Lin Chia-lung was invited for meetings and side events held alongside the forum. Taiwan is not a formal dialogue partner of the forum like ​China, but a development partner. The US, EU, Britain, Canada, India and Japan are also among the 21 dialogue partners of the forum. China has gradually whittled away the number of Pacific Island countries with formal ties to Taipei, with only three remaining: Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands. The leaders of Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Kiribati did not attend the gathering of the 18-member group that ⁠counts Australia, New Zealand and Pacific island nations as members. Ministers are attending in their ​place. China is Australia’s largest trading ​partner but Canberra remains wary of Beijing’s expanding influence ​in the Pacific and has stepped up security and development ties with island nations to deter any ​permanent Chinese military presence in ‌the region. Australia, New Zealand ​and the US have ​long considered the (https://www.theguardian.com/world/southpacific) South Pacific to fall within their sphere of influence. In the latest sign of that effort, New Zealand and the US said in a joint statement released on Tuesday during the summit that they would jointly fund a major upgrade of a second world war port on a Cook Islands atoll.         Explore more on these topics (https://www.theguardian.com/world/pacific-islands-forum) Pacific Islands Forum  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/taiwan) Taiwan  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/china) China  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/pacific-islands) Pacific islands  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/southpacific) South Pacific  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/newzealand) New Zealand  (https://www.theguardian.com/tone/news) news    (mailto:?subject=China warns of ‘consequences’ over Taiwan presence at Pacific Islands Forum&body=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/01/china-warns-of-consequences-taiwan-pacific-islands-forum-palau?CMP=share_btn_url) Share     (https://syndication.theguardian.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2026%2Fsep%2F01%2Fchina-warns-of-consequences-taiwan-pacific-islands-forum-palau&type=article&internalpagecode=world/2026/sep/01/china-warns-of-consequences-taiwan-pacific-islands-forum-palau) (Reuse this content) Reuse this content                  More on this story                        More on this story                       (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/01/pauline-hanson-albanese-political-fight-analysis-ntwnfb)    ()      Albanese has everything to lose engaging in a fight with Hanson, but he may be drawn in anyway   (Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 04:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 5h ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/01/missing-australian-found-alive-nepal-tibet-floods)    ()      Relief as Australian missing in Nepal-Tibet flood disaster found alive   (Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 01:43 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 8h ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/31/nepal-tibet-floods-australians-missing-list-names-what-we-know-so-far-ntwnfb)    ()      Australians missing in the Nepal floods: what we know so far   (Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 04:57 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 4h ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/01/how-misinformation-ai-hallucinations-infiltrating-australian-parliament)    ()      ‘Scary’: how misinformation and AI hallucinations are infiltrating Australia’s parliament   (Monday, August 31, 2026 at 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 22h ago  (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/01/how-misinformation-ai-hallucinations-infiltrating-australian-parliament#comments)    … … comments            (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2026/aug/31/what-one-nation-secret-harbour-wa-victory-means-full-story-podcast-ntwnfb)    ()      Full Story What One Nation’s latest victory means for the major parties – Full Story podcast   (Monday, August 31, 2026 at 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 22h ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2026/aug/31/rescue-efforts-continue-as-43-australians-remain-missing-in-nepal-video-ntwnfb)    ()      Rescue efforts continue as 43 Australians remain missing in Nepal – video   (Monday, August 31, 2026 at 01:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 1d ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/31/pauline-hanson-calls-nuclear-coal-plants-australia-east-coast-ntwnfb)    ()      Pauline Hanson calls for two nuclear plants on east coast and insists policy is nothing like Dutton’s failed plan   (Monday, August 31, 2026 at 01:08 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 1d ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/aug/31/smart-glasses-automatic-blur-faces-meta-ray-ban-kmart-privacy)    ()      Smartglasses should automatically blur people’s faces while filming, Australia’s online safety regulator says   (Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 2d ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/30/one-nations-secret-harbour-byelection-win-shows-labor-is-at-a-loss-when-it-comes-to-calming-angry-voters)    ()      One Nation’s Secret Harbour byelection win shows Labor is at a loss when it comes to calming angry voters    (Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 01:34 AM Eastern Daylight Time) 2d ago           (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2026/aug/30/australia-for-profit-aged-care)    ()      double quotation mark   A $1.95m deposit and $10k a month: welcome to the for-profit world of Australian aged care where no one is a winner   (Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 04:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time) 3d ago                        Most viewed      Most viewed                                                               (https://www.theguardian.com/world) World  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news) Europe  (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news) US news  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/americas) Americas  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/asia) Asia  (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news) Australia  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/middleeast) Middle East  (https://www.theguardian.com/world/africa) Africa  (https://www.theguardian.com/inequality) Inequality  (https://www.theguardian.com/global-development) Global development       (https://www.theguardian.com/) News  (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree) Opinion  (https://www.theguardian.com/sport) Sport  (https://www.theguardian.com/culture) Culture  (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle) Lifestyle    Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning (https://www.theguardian.com/info/2018/sep/17/guardian-us-morning-briefing-sign-up-to-stay-informed) Sign up for our email     (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us) About us  (https://manage.theguardian.com/help-centre) Help  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/complaints-and-corrections) Complaints & corrections  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/about-guardian-us/contact) Contact us  (https://www.theguardian.com/tips) Tip us off  (https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop) SecureDrop  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/privacy) Privacy policy  (https://www.theguardian.com/info/cookies) Cookie policy  (https://uploads.guim.co.uk/2026/07/22/STL_Global_Tax_Strategy_for_the_year_to_31_March_2027.pdf) Tax strategy  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/terms-of-service) Terms & conditions   (https://www.theguardian.com/index/subjects/a) All topics  (https://www.theguardian.com/index/contributors) All writers  (https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?INTCMP=DOTCOM_FOOTER_NEWSLETTER_US) Newsletters  (https://theguardian.newspapers.com) Digital newspaper archive  (https://bsky.app/profile/us.theguardian.com) Bluesky  (https://www.facebook.com/theguardian) Facebook  (https://www.instagram.com/guardian) Instagram  (https://www.linkedin.com/company/theguardian) LinkedIn  (https://www.threads.com/@guardian_us) Threads  (https://www.tiktok.com/@guardian) TikTok  (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheGuardian) YouTube   (https://usadvertising.theguardian.com) Advertise with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-labs-us) Guardian Labs  (https://jobs.theguardian.com) Search jobs  (https://workwithus.theguardian.com/) Work with us  (https://www.theguardian.com/help/accessibility-help) Accessibility settings         (china-warns-of-consequences-taiwan-pacific-islands-forum-palau.html#top) Back to top      © 2026Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.(dcr)