11/08/2026
[IIRC News]
“Pacific Ministers Fail to Reach a Joint Statement in Response to China’s Missile Test”
The Pacific Islands Forum, which consisted of 18 members, was held on 6 August in Suva, Fiji, following the launch of China’s missile test. The 18 foreign ministers from the Pacific nations failed to reach an agreement on a joint statement concerning the issue. Although the missile was launched in the Pacific in July, the issue was discussed one month later at the meeting.
According to Reuters, many representatives expressed concerns about the missile test but failed to reach a consensus, as disagreements over how the Forum should respond remained a critical point. On one hand, some of the members supported a statement specifically addressing China’s test, while others preferred a broader statement covering missile tests in the Pacific as a whole. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said two members did not agree to the proposed statement, with no identities revealed, while Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa said that the countries had simply expressed their positions rather than blocking the statement.
The issue comes as Pacific countries continue to discuss regional security and the growing involvement of major powers in the Pacific. Importantly, U.S. Pacific Command chief Admiral Samuel Paparo also discussed security concerns in the Indo-Pacific, while Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro referred to China’s missile launch as part of wider concerns about Beijing’s military activities at a regional security conference earlier in the week.
The Pacific Islands Forum is expected to continue discussing the issue before its leaders’ meeting in Palau later in August.
Written By: CHHENG Simlang
📄 References:
Craymer, L., & Chen, C. (2026, August 6). Pacific ministers fail to agree on China missile response. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/pacific-ministers-debate-china-missile-statement-2026-08-06/
Top US admiral warns against coercion, says no nation will dominate Indo-Pacific. (2026, August 3). AP News. https://apnews.com/article/us-south-china-sea-indo-pacific-8b2b98dad27f8420c7bc217a31354b4a
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