China warns of "consequences" as Taiwan attends Pacific Islands Forum

China has warned of “consequences” over Taiwan’s presence at the opening ceremony of the annual Pacific Islands Forum in Palau.“There will always be consequences,” Qian Bo, China’s special envoy for Pacific island affairs, said on Monday.China regards Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, as part of its territory and opposes its participation in international forums as a separate entity. Taiwan is not a formal dialogue partner of the Pacific Islands Forum, which includes 21 dialogue partners such as China, India, the US, the European Union, Britain, Canada and Japan.Taiwanese foreign minister Lin Chia-lung, who was invited to meetings and side events alongside the forum, defended Taipei’s role in the region.“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 said on Monday.Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the forum’s right to manage its own affairs when asked about Qian’s warning.“The Pacific Islands Forum determines what happens here, not any other country,” Albanese said, describing the gathering as “primarily a gathering of the Pacific family”.New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters also said the forum does not take instructions from countries outside the group.Australia, New Zealand and the US have traditionally regarded the South Pacific as an area of strategic importance. On Tuesday, New Zealand and the US said in a joint statement that they would jointly fund a major upgrade to a Second World War-era port on an atoll in the Cook Islands.Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.