Pacific Islands Forum Condemns China Missile Test, Demands Notification

The Pacific Islands Forum concluded its summit in Palau on September 3, 2026, with a joint statement condemning a Chinese intercontinental ballistic missile test conducted in July, despite a dissenting note from Nauru. The 18-member bloc called on all nations to provide advance notification of at least 24 hours before any missile testing, emphasizing the need for transparency and reassurance in the region. The missile test, which occurred on July 6, 2026, was China's first known launch in the Pacific since September 2024. According to multiple leaders, the missile overflew several Pacific Island nations, including Palau, without adequate notice. Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr., who chaired the forum, stated that Beijing "never bothered to tell us" about the test, which crossed Palauan airspace and landed in the ocean near Nauru and Tuvalu. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was in the region at the time, criticized the lack of notice, contrasting it with the proper procedures followed by the United States under its agreement with the Marshall Islands.