The Pacific Islands Forum was seen as a crucial barrier to the influence of the CCP in the region. However, the heads of three Pacific countries—Papua New Guinea (PNG), Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands—have opted not to attend this year’s Pacific Islands Forum meeting. This is part of a pattern in which these leaders have been forging stronger ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which has expanded its presence in the region in recent years.
In response to the absence of the three leaders, ministers from these countries will be sent to the PIF meeting in place of their prime ministers. The Solomon Islands government has stated that Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele will attend the event on behalf of the Prime Minister, who is preoccupied with duties related to the Pacific Games and Parliament. Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu have not given reasons for the absence of their prime ministers.
The Pacific Islands Forum is an international organization that fosters collaboration among 18 Oceania countries and territories. It has been an important focus for the U.S. Biden administration and the Albanese Labor government in building relationships with Pacific governments, and as a defense against Beijing’s ambitions in the region.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has arrived in the Cook Islands for the meeting and emphasized the importance of working together through the Pacific Islands Forum to achieve a peaceful, safe, and prosperous shared Pacific.
The influence of the CCP in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands has been growing. Chinese companies have heavily invested in Papua New Guinea’s natural resources sector and infrastructure projects, while providing significant development assistance. In Vanuatu, the Chinese regime has generously provided loans for infrastructure projects, leading to closer ties between the leaders and Beijing.
Similarly, the influence of the CCP in the Solomon Islands has increased, with warnings of infiltration from a member of Parliament and controversies involving the ousting of a provincial leader amid allegations of CCP bribes.
In response to the CCP’s growing influence in the region, Australia has taken steps to form defense pacts and increase aid funding for Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands. These efforts are seen as crucial in countering the influence of the CCP in the Pacific region.