Pacific nations fail to agree on statement condemning China missile test

Beijing gave only a handful of nations short notice before test-firing an intercontinental ballistic missile last month, with the rocket appearing to land in a patch of ocean somewhere between Solomon Islands, Nauru and Tuvalu.

Foreign ministers and top diplomats of the Pacific Islands countries attend a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Suva, Fiji, on Aug 7, 2026, ahead of the full leaders meeting scheduled for September 2026 in Palau. (Photo: AFP/Ben Strang)

SUVA, Fiji: Pacific diplomats gathered in Fiji failed on Friday (Aug 7) to agree on a joint statement condemning China's recent test of a nuclear-capable missile in the region, with New Zealand's foreign minister accusing them of appeasing "outsiders".

Beijing gave only a handful of nations short notice before test-firing an intercontinental ballistic missile last month, flexing its military might in a region where it has long sought to expand its reach.

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