China warns of 'consequences' over Taiwan's attendance at Pacific leaders meeting
China has issued a warning of 'consequences' following Taiwan's attendance at the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau. Regional leaders, including Australia's Prime Minister, have pushed back, asserting the forum's autonomy in determining its own participants.
Why it matters
The incident highlights ongoing geopolitical tensions regarding Taiwan's international status and China's influence in the Pacific region.
Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung was invited to meetings and side events held alongside the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau.
A Taiwan flag flutters in Keelung, Taiwan, December 30, 2025. REUTERS/Ann Wang
SYDNEY: China said it had serious concerns about Taiwan's presence at the annual Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, warning of "consequences" after the democratically ruled island attended the group's opening ceremony on Monday (Aug 31).
China views 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.
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