China gets its chance as Pacific Island Forum fractures amid Micronesian exits

Australian diplomacy in the Pacific suffers blow as five Micronesian states to exit Pacific Island Forum.

Former Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna was elected head of the forum last week, to the ‘great disappointment’ of the Melanesian states. Picture: AAP

Australian diplomacy in the Pacific has suffered a blow with the decision by the region’s five Micronesian states to exit the Pacific Island Forum, handing China a fresh opportunity to exploit regional instability.

Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Kiribati announced on Tuesday they would join Palau in withdrawing from the PIF, after the bloc was passed over for leadership of the forum.

The fracturing of the PIF, which will be limited to Melanesian and Polynesian states once the Micronesian withdrawal is formalised, will constrain Australia and New Zealand’s ability to work with the region as a whole on key economic, security and environmental challenges.

In a communique, the Melanesian states expressed their “great disappointment” in the process to select the PIF’s new secretary-general, after the election of former Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna to the post last week.

The Micronesians had argued it was their turn to lead the PIF under an informal agreement to rotate the secretary-general’s role.

“There is no value in participating in an organisation that does not respect established agreements, including the gentlemen’s agreement on subregional rotation,” the Micronesians states said following a meeting on Monday night.

Australian officials refused to reveal how Australia voted in the secret ballot, which Mr Puna won 9-8 ahead of Marshall Islands candidate Gerald Zackios.

However, one senior government source told The Australian that Mr Puna was highly regarded in Canberra.

Lowy Institute Pacific program director Jonathan Pryke said a diminished PIF would undercut the advantages the forum offered to Australia.

Jonathan Pryke. Picture: Supplied

“It’s an exclusive club that we are part of and China isn’t,” he said.

“We can’t compete with China on money or under the table deals, but we can on closeness and familiarity, and the forum’s annual slate of meetings helps with that.”

Australian and New Zealand had urged the tiny island states to remain in the grouping, but were unable to convince them to change course.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne said she spoke on Monday to the head of the Micronesian grouping, Nauru president Lionel Aingimea, urging against the split.

“It was certainly a robust contest for the appointment of the incoming secretary general. I absolutely appreciate the disappointment that representatives of governments from across Micronesia have with that outcome,” Senator Payne told the ABC.

“But I do very much hope that they decide to remain engaged with the forum.”

She said Australia would continue to work closely with forum members and the Micronesian states.

Chinese Community Party mouthpiece The Global Times moved swiftly to blame the widening rift on Australia and the United States, declaring “Canberra’s plan to use this platform to raise its own status and work with Washington will fall flat”.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne on Monday urged a strong and united PIF. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Kiribati recently ended its diplomatic support for Taiwan, formalising relations with China.

However, China’s ability to win over the remaining members of the splinter group are limited. Palau, FSM, and the Marshall Islands are aligned with the United States under a series of treaties allowing their citizens to live and work legally in the US without a visa.

Nauru is also resistant to Chinese influence as a strong supporter of Australia and a diplomatic partner to Taiwan.

Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said a divided PIF would make tackling regional issues more difficult.

“The Morrison government has made a lot of announcements about its so-called ‘Pacific Step Up’ but if Scott Morrison doesn’t finally step-up, other countries will fill the leadership vacuum and that could cost us dearly,” Senator Wong said.