Pacific Islands leaders meet to discuss security, climate change

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SYDNEY (Reuters) -Pacific Islands leaders began a week-long summit on Monday in the Solomon Islands, where they are expected to endorse an “Ocean of Peace” declaration amid concern over rising tensions between the United States and China.

The leaders are also expected to back Australia’s bid to host the COP31 United Nations climate summit, after Canberra pledged to work closely with its island neighbours to raise awareness of the challenges they face from rising sea levels and worsening storms.

Pressure from China to block Taiwan’s participation at the forum, being held in Honiara, led to the Solomon Islands cancelling the attendance of two dozen donor partners, including China, Taiwan and the United States.

Among 18 forum members, three have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, three have defence compacts with the United States, and several are French territories. Thirteen of the members have ties with China.

The largest forum member, Australia, is the region’s biggest aid donor and has stepped up efforts to block China expanding its security presence in the region, after Beijing and the Solomon Islands struck a pact in 2022.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to arrive in Honiara on Wednesday, after visiting Vanuatu where he is expected to sign a landmark A$500 million ($326.50 million) deal to strengthen economic and security ties.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said his country had advocated strongly for the donor partners to attend to discuss development opportunities, but added the forum was united nonetheless.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney and Lucy Craymer in Wellington; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)