- 2025 PIF Leaders Meeting reaffirms Taiwan’s development partner status.
- Tuvalu proposes Kaitasi Treaty to legally bind its relationship with Taiwan.
- Pacific regionalism thrives through mutual respect and shared leadership.
The 2025 Pacific Islands Forum and Taiwan’s Standing
At the 2025 Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting, held in October of that year, Tuvalu emerged as a key player advocating for Taiwan. The meeting, which took place just days before the Solomon Islands’ last-minute decision to exclude all dialogue and development partners from participating, highlighted the growing tensions between China and its allies in the region.
China’s Diplomatic Pressures
The 2025 PIF was initially supposed to be a platform for unity and regional cooperation. However, Solomon Islands’ Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele made an unexpected decision to exclude all dialogue and development partners from participating until the Forum completed its regional architecture review. This move, while claiming neutrality, was seen by analysts as stemming from pressure exerted by China after Solomon Islands attempted to ban only Taiwan.
Tuvalu’s Moral Victory
Despite the exclusionary measures, Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Feleti Teo argued that such actions have inadvertently benefited Taiwan. Teo highlighted how the meeting outcomes maintained Taiwan’s development partner status and garnered international attention to the core values and principles of Pacific regionalism. The final communiqué even included direct reference to Taiwan’s contribution of US$3 million to the Pacific Resilience Facility, which is six times China’s listed contribution of US$500,000.
Tuvalu’s Kaitasi Treaty: A Legal Binding Agreement
Following the PIF meeting, Tuvalu continued its advocacy for Taiwan. In July 2025, Teo announced a legally binding affirmation of the Tuvalu-Taiwan relationship through the Kaitasi Treaty Between Tuvalu and Taiwan during a press conference. This treaty, which includes the Tuvaluan word “kaitasi,” meaning shared or communal ownership of land, is seen as an extension of their existing relationship.
Key Components of the Kaitasi Treaty
The treaty focuses on several key areas:
- Recognition of Taiwan’s status and support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Fisheries and food security, health, education, and cultural development.
- A new funding mechanism for Taiwan’s aid to Tuvalu.
By including these components, the Kaitasi Treaty aims to make the relationship between Tuvalu and Taiwan more durable. Teo emphasized that this treaty confirms Taiwan’s recognition of Tuvalu’s permanent statehood and maritime boundaries despite the impacts of climate change.
The Path Forward for Taiwan in the Pacific
While the 2025 PIF outcomes are significant, they do not necessarily indicate long-term regional success. With mounting pressure from China to reject Taiwan, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, and Palau need strategies to more fruitfully collaborate with Taiwan while also defending their diplomatic relationship at both regional and international levels.
Tuvalu’s Kaitasi Treaty is seen as a proactive step in this direction. By formalizing the relationship through legal obligations, it makes it more difficult for Tuvalu to break relations with Taiwan unilaterally.
The treaty also provides stronger legal justifications for supporting Taiwan at PIF, the UN, and other venues.
For their part, Pacific nations like Tuvalu should continue advocating for Taiwan’s presence in regional forums. The Kaitasi Treaty underscores that even amidst international isolation, Taiwan can still secure meaningful partnerships with sovereign nations. This could strengthen its position as a legitimate player with loyal allies facing shared challenges such as climate change and security issues.
