British Broadcasting CorporationNuku’alofa, Tonga’s sleepy capital, was abuzz with activity last week as leaders from across the Pacific arrived for the annual Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders’ meeting.
Every so often, a police escort would speed through the streets, sirens blaring. Small flags were hung on the hoods of the cars, identifying the foreign delegations. China and Taiwan are clearly visible, as is the Union Jack and the United Nations.
They all participate only as conversation partners or observers. But they make a lot of noise. Their security details are tighter than most of the 18 PIF members, except perhaps New Zealand and Australia. Sources revealed that Tonga’s royal palace appears low-key compared with the single guard guarding the king.
All week long, diplomats described the meeting as fascinating, but the underlying concern was that the delegations’ interests did not necessarily align with the wishes of PIF leaders or their people.
The PIF is made up of 18 members, mainly Pacific Island countries and Australia and New Zealand, but also represented by delegations from around the world who are keen to play a role in the region, which is taking on greater geopolitical significance.
The important players are no longer just Australia and the United States. China is the rising power in the Pacific and the one causing the ruckus.
Nuku’alofa nearly buckled under the pressure of all these interests. Outside the top hotel where the large delegation was staying, there was a sign recruiting staff that read “No experience required – all positions.”
Another notice inside the hotel warned that Tonga was facing a shortage of skilled workers and would therefore be unable to provide services to the public during the forum.
It’s a fitting reminder of the “brain drain” many Pacific countries face as people leave for Australia and New Zealand in search of a better future.
At the forum itself, Australia scored an early victory, announcing a A$400 million ($268 million; £204 million) Pacific Policing Initiative to establish a police training facility in Brisbane and across the Pacific and four centers. It will also train regional officers deployed throughout the region to respond to major disasters or major events.
As soon as the plan was announced, it was overshadowed by a “mic boom” moment. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was caught on camera calling the deal “terrible” in a conversation with US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell. In a conversation he thought was not filmed, he even joked with Mr Campbell about “half-assing it on cost”.
It was an embarrassing gaffe but it made clear the policing operation was a “victory” against China’s growing influence in the region – a 1-0 victory over Australia and its friends.
Mr. Albanese’s speech was delivered in an auditorium built by the Chinese, which made the game all the more meaningful. China’s influence on the island is clear. There is a large piece of land next to the auditorium, which contains the royal tombs. It is now boarded up, and a big sign hangs outside saying that China Aid is helping to renovate it. There are similar stories across the Pacific.
But the conversation also bolstered reservations by Vanuatu’s prime minister and the head of the Melanesian Vanguard Group that policing initiatives may be more about excluding China than focusing on the interests of the Pacific islands.
Mr Albanese’s “crazy” comments were not the only controversy last week. In a final communiqué issued by PIF leaders on Friday afternoon, a 1992 agreement allowing Taiwan to play a role in forum leaders’ meetings was reaffirmed. The communiqué was later deleted and republished, removing the reference to Taiwan. PIF leaders were subsequently accused of bowing to pressure from China, although they said it was actually an administrative error.
Among the 18 countries in the Pacific Islands Forum, only 3 have established diplomatic relations with Taiwan. China is a “dialogue partner,” while Taiwan is a “development partner,” and its importance has declined.
All these arguments point to intense competition in the Pacific. Everyone wants to come to PIF because everyone wants a piece of the pie in the region.
The problem is that while the superpowers are vying for relevance, so are the Pacific Islands. There is a real emphasis on ensuring that those who participate in this forum act in a Pacific way – and for the benefit of Pacific peoples.
A recent report from the Lowy Institute Discovery Strategy Competition sometimes forgets what people want.
The report, titled “The Great Game in the Pacific Islands,” said that “many economies are struggling to meet basic development needs.”
“Big powers typically prioritize projects that deliver strategic benefits, such as telecommunications, ports and military facilities, or political dividends, such as stadiums and conference centers, over less high-profile projects.”
On the penultimate day, the leaders went to Vava’u Island for a retreat. Meanwhile, in Nuku’alofa, side events continued. One of these is the Pacific Resilience Fund, the first Pacific-led climate and disaster resilience finance fund, which will be headquartered in Eastern California.
Ministers and diplomats from member states including Tonga, Tuvalu and Australia attended the event. The fund is very proud and expects this could be the answer to supporting climate change issues across the region. Australia is by far the largest donor, with a contribution of A$100 million. The United States, China and Saudi Arabia have also contributed, but the fund still totals only $137 million, a long way from its 2026 target of $500 million and its long-term goal of $1.5 billion.
“I think it’s more difficult to get funding for climate change,” Tuvalu’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Labor and Trade Paulson Panapa told the BBC. “We want all donors to see both as very important, just like It’s as important as it is to us.
“The Pacific Islands may be small, but they are powerful in many ways. These countries sit in an ocean that accounts for one-third of the world’s surface – and what happens in their waters – politics, economics, diplomacy – will shape the future of the world – For better or worse.
