pacific islands forum
The Pacific Islands Forum fizzles as China flexes its muscles
The 55th Pacific Islands Forum ran Aug 30 to Sept 1 in Koror, Palau, with several heads of state absent. China objected to Taiwan's presence and warned of consequences. Corroborated by Reuters and AP. Australia's regional convening power is being contested while its alliance commitments are unchanged, which is why the score holds and the confidence rises.