Lin Chia‑lung attends Pacific Island Forum, condemns China’s bullying of Taiwan.

Taiwan was this year invited to participate in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) summit hosted by its diplomatic ally Palau. Originally an international event focusing on regional cooperation, climate change, and sustainable development, it once again became the focal point of geopolitical contention due to rough interference by China before and during the meeting. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung personally led a delegation to attend this highest-level regional summit, publicly issuing a strong condemnation of the threatening remarks made by Beijing prior to the event, which warned that "there will always be consequences." Lin pointed out directly that China's bullying behavior not only disrupted the peaceful and united atmosphere of the entire summit, but further highlighted how Beijing exerts pressure on Pacific island countries by all possible means in order to suppress Taiwan's international survival space. He emphasized that in the face of authoritarian expansion and unreasonable suppression, Taiwan must not and should not compromise out of fear, and must firmly defend its sovereignty and right to participate in international affairs.

The Pacific Islands Forum is the most influential intergovernmental organization in the South Pacific region, with members including Australia, New Zealand, and multiple island nations. The Republic of China (Taiwan) has long participated in it in an official or appropriate capacity, maintaining deep cooperative friendships with member countries. However, as the Indo-Pacific region has become a fiercely contested battleground for global geopolitics, China has rapidly intensified its economic penetration, diplomatic wooing, and security deployment targeting Pacific island countries in recent years. Beijing has not only spared no effort in squeezing the number of Taiwan's diplomatic allies in the South Pacific, but has also attempted to exclude Taiwan from all regional multilateral forums through various forms of diplomatic pressure and economic inducements. This time, Palau, acting as the host country, withstood tremendous pressure from Beijing and insisted on inviting Taiwan to participate in the summit, fully demonstrating the unshakable diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Palau, as well as Palau's adherence to democratic values and independent diplomacy.

On the eve of the summit, China's diplomatic system and overseas envoys frequently took action, expressing strong dissatisfaction and protests to the host country Palau and the forum secretariat, and even openly issuing intimidation remarks that "there will always be consequences." This practice of using regional multilateral diplomatic arenas as a tool for geopolitical pressure has triggered widespread aversion and vigilance from the international community. During interviews and speeches at the venue, Lin Chia-lung accurately grasped the core of this issue, fiercely criticizing Beijing's move as typical bullying behavior that severely disrupted the focus of Pacific island nations in collectively responding to survival crises such as climate change and marine resource conservation. Lin's tough stance not only represented the Taiwanese government in conveying a position of defying external forces to the international community, but also spoke out for the island nations under Beijing's pressure, highlighting that China is the greatest source of instability disrupting regional stability.

The scope of cooperation between Taiwan and Pacific island countries is extensive, covering infrastructure, agricultural and fishery technology, medical and public health, education and training, and the crucial climate change adaptation of recent years. For many island nations currently facing threats from rising sea levels and extreme weather, the substantive assistance provided by Taiwan is often more pragmatically effective than the empty promises of major powers. In addition to consolidating substantive partnerships with Palau and other remaining diplomatic allies, Lin's attendance at this summit also actively engaged and communicated with other like-minded non-diplomatic Pacific nations, illustrating that as a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan has both the capability and the willingness to make greater contributions to the peace and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region. Facing China's containment, Taiwan continues to expand its international survival space by deepening substantive diplomacy and value alliances.

From a macro international political landscape perspective, the confrontation at the Pacific Islands Forum summit is in essence an important contest between the democratic camp and authoritarian expansionism in the South Pacific. Major regional democracies such as the United States, Australia, and New Zealand have closely monitored China's military and strategic ambitions in the South Pacific in recent years, stepping up economic assistance and security cooperation in the region in an effort to curb Beijing's expansion of power. Taiwan plays an indispensable democratic vanguard role in this strategic blueprint. Lin's public reprimand of China's bullying at the summit not only won resonance and support from attending allies, but also proved to the international community that Taiwan will not back down when facing suppression; instead, it will move more actively toward the world and stand together with all nations that uphold democracy, freedom, and the rule of law to jointly resist the erosion of authoritarianism.