Palau President urges Pacific unity following China missile test

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr, the incoming chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, is calling for a ‘united front’ among Pacific leaders following a recent Chinese ballistic missile test. Whipps expressed concern that the region is being used as a testing ground for nuclear-capable weapons, noting that the test, which involved an intercontinental ballistic missile with a dummy warhead, was conducted with only a few hours of notice to certain countries.

Whipps highlighted the anxiety caused by the missile trajectory, which passed near Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands rather than in the open ocean. He argued that Pacific nations have a right to transparency and notification regarding such activities. While Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese previously indicated the forum was drafting a strong joint statement to condemn the test, internal divisions within the group have so far prevented a formal unified response.