Taiwan to attend Pacific Islands Forum in Palau

Taiwan will attend the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Palau from August 30 to September 4, the regional bloc said, after Taipei was barred from last year's gathering following protests from China.

Baron Waqa, the forum's secretary-general, told reporters after ministerial talks in Fiji that Taiwan was an important development partner, though not a dialogue partner, and engaged with members of the forum.

Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands are among Taiwan's 12 remaining diplomatic partners. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and opposes the self-governed island's participation in international organisations and exchanges with other countries.

Solomon Islands, which hosted last year's leaders meeting, blocked Taiwan from attending. Rick Hou, foreign minister in the Solomon Islands government that took office in May, said this year's meeting had an open invitation.

Waqa also said a joint statement condemning China's test of an intercontinental ballistic missile in the Pacific last month was still under negotiation, with disagreement over whether it should focus only on China's test or on all missile testing in the Pacific.