Sawt Falasteen - Pacific Islands leaders to back 'ocean of peace' at fraught summit

There was a heavy police presence in the Solomon Islands capital Honiara as the 18 Pacific Islands Forum member states met in the Friendship Hall, near the 10,000-seat National Stadium built and financed by the Chinese government.

There were also signs of repairsto the city's usually pothole-filled roads.

Journalists were allowed to take pictures at the start of closed-door talks before being quickly ushered out.

Speaking on the sidelines of the summit, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he expected leaders to endorse a Fiji-backed push to declare an "ocean of peace".

"This calls on the international community to respect national sovereignty, and Pacific-led approaches to peace and security," Albanese said.

Alongside member states -- including key players Australia and New Zealand -- gatherings of the Pacific Islands Forum are typically attended by dozens more countries as observers or dialogue partners.

But this year's host, the Solomon Islands, has barred most of those partners from attending -- sparking accusations that Honiara was working at Beijing's behest to exclude long-time participant Taiwan.

The move prompted condemnation from fellow Pacific nations, of which three -- Marshall Islands, Palau and Tuvalu -- still recognise Taipei.

China counts the Solomon Islands among its closest partners and backers in the South Pacific.

The two signed a secretive security pact in 2022 and Beijing even donated police vehicles and equipment ahead of the forum.

Australia has sought to shore up links across the region to counter China's growing presence.

Albanese was in neighbouring Vanuatu on Tuesday to discuss a deal -- known as the Nakamal Agreement -- deepening Canberra's links to the Pacific nation.

But Vanuatu Prime Minister Jotham Napat said there were concerns that the wording of the deal would limit his country's ability to access funds for "critical infrastructure" from other nations.

- 'Obvious' meddling -

Observers warn a split over China's role in Wednesday's forum could undermine essential regional cooperation on everything from climate change to health, security and transnational crime.

New Zealand's top diplomat Winston Peters told AFP last month it was "obvious" that outside forces were meddling in the summit.

Peters, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and other officials have warned the banning of dialogue partners could affect external aid to the Pacific.

Communist China has never ruled Taiwan, but Beijing insists the island is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.

China bristles at any official diplomatic recognition of the democratic island.

The two have long vied for influence in the South Pacific, with Beijing spending hundreds of millions of dollars building sports stadiums, presidential palaces, hospitals and roads across the region.

On Thursday, summit participants will head to the picturesque seaside settlement of Munda, over 300 kilometres (about 190 miles) from the capital, for a leaders' retreat.

But there may be little they can agree on.

Beyond China, key issues causing friction include a review of the forum's regional architecture, which will decide who can participate.

Climate change is also a major talking point on the back of Vanuatu's win in the International Court of Justice, which in July declared states are obliged to tackle the issue and reparations could be awarded if they do not.

Albanese on Wednesday also reaffirmed that Australia would contribute Aus$100 million (US$66 million) to a fund aimed at mitigating the impact of climate change on Pacific nations.

The forum partners work together on disaster risk management and climate finance, but there is disquiet in some quarters over individual nations opening up for deep sea mining or oil and gas exploration.

H.Jarrar--SF-PST